Gil Berzal may be the most important winemaker you haven't heard of. He has been experimenting with underappreciated old vineyards in Rioja Alavesa, which Berzal has manicured and replanted with old cuttings on new rootstocks. This vineyard in particular is his proving ground, where he has planted every indigenous white varietal row by row on various types of rootstock to monitor their growth and vigor. Each year he harvests and co-ferments the entire crop in neutral vessels, and he recently acquired a custom oversized concrete egg especially for this purpose. It should go without saying that the result is incredibly complex, but also utterly terroir-driven. This is unlike any other white Rioja you've ever tasted, in the best of ways. 

Grape:

Garnacha Blanca, Tempranillo Blanco, Maturana Blanca, Viura, Malvasía, Verdejo

Farming: Biodynamic, Organic, Regenerative

Pairing: Aged manchego with rosemary rind