Bideona Mayela

Grape: Tempranillo
Region: Rioja Alavesa, Spain
Vintage: 2024
Body: Medium
Sweetness: Dry
Style: Juicy
ABV: 13.5%

A fresh, juicy take on Rioja from the cooler hills of Rioja Alavesa. Tempranillo leads the way, with bright cherry, blackberry and raspberry, plus violets, peppery herbs and a little spice. It’s medium-bodied and dry, with lively acidity and fine, chalky tannins keeping everything energetic and ridiculously drinkable.

Mayela comes from Bideona, a project focused on showing off the vineyards and villages of Rioja Alavesa rather than covering everything up with oak. They call this their “Cosechero 2.0,” a modern interpretation of the young wines traditionally made by local growers. Unlike old-school cosechero wines, though, Mayela skips carbonic maceration and is made without oak, keeping the focus firmly on fresh fruit and the character of the vineyards.

There are actually six different labels for the exact same wine, each featuring an illustration of one of the real growers Bideona works with. The name Mayela comes from Maya, the goddess of spring and crops, as another little tribute to the people and land behind the bottle.

Rioja without the oak and without the waiting. Fresh, juicy and ready to drink right now.