The Past is the Future
Ribera del Duero is certainly historic – the Romans tended vineyards here, as evidenced by the 66-meter mosaic of Bacchus, the God of wine, that was unearthed relatively recently at Baños de Valdearados.
Modern viticulture as we know it today arrived with the Benedictine monks from Cluny in the Burgundy region in the twelfth century.
Our logo is a testament to the history of the region, featuring the crest of Cluny monks linked with the thyrsus of Bacchus. As our ancestors did before us, we farm the land in the most respectful way, allowing each vineyard to be our teacher, with us as the students. This ongoing process of listening to and learning from each site and every vintage enables us to discover and share what each site is capable of expressing. We are continually reminded of the simple principle that most of the vital work occurs in the vineyard.
Ribera has significant plantings of old vines, with as much as 9% over 80 years old.
Between 1999 and 2014, almost two-thirds of Ribera del Duero’s old vineyards were lost. Given that prices are the same for old and young vines, there aren't many wine growers working these old vines in a professional way, unfortunately.
Our vineyards consist of the 1/5 of vines in the region that are above 75 years old, and about 40% of our main holdings are above 100 years old. We see ourselves as guardians of the old, gnarly vines that have so much history and so many stories to tell. It is our blessing to work with them and our destiny to protect their presence and future.
Our Story
Terry Kandylis is a Sommelier with a passion for wine and love for Riesling & Burgundy. He has competed at an international level, becoming the champion of the United Kingdom in 2016 and Greece in 2015.
During the pandemic, which significantly affected the hospitality industry and towards the end of 2020, Terry visited the region of Ribera Del Duero en route to the Canary Islands.
While exploring the Ribera del Duero region, Terry stumbled upon some of the most historic vineyards he had ever seen, which were abandoned. His excitement grew as he realized the potential of these vines, igniting his dream of crafting his own wine. With the guidance of Secundino, the oldest vigneron in the village of Canalejas de Penafiel born in 1932, he meticulously scouted all the intriguing old plots before returning to London to develop a plan.
He began by buying plots that were extremely old and only 'en vaso' to continue the legacy of the old gnarly vines that were still standing to tell their story. He considers himself blessed to work with these vineyards and preserve their history. Hence, the name of the new venture "Blessed Destiny" which translates to "Bendito Destino".
Terry is proud to be able to create wines that express his passion and love for the land, the vines, and the grapes. He believes that wine should be about more than just a drink; it becomes a vibrant narrative, capable of stirring emotions and fostering connections among people. His heartfelt aspiration is for his wines to achieve precisely that - to weave tales, evoke feelings, and create moments of togetherness for all who savor them.
Our Vineyards, Our Blessing
Location and Altitude:
Located in Canalejas de Peñafiel , in the province of Valladolid, our vineyards are a testament to our commitment to quality winemaking. We started with a humble 2.14 hectares but have since expanded to roughly 8 hectares of vineyards above 80 years old. Our oldest vines are over 100 years old, adding to the unique character of our wines.
Canalejas de Peñafiel is the highest village in altitude in Valladolid, with an elevation of 925m above sea level. Our small plots’ varying exposures create diverse microclimates ideal for growing a wide range of grape varieties.
Grape Varieties and Age:
Our vineyards are primarily field blends of up to seven different grape varieties, with the exception of two single plots of Garnacha and Albillo. Our red grapes consist of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal (Valenciano), and even Monastrell, with Tempranillo varying from 75-95% in most plots. Our white grapes are Albillo Mayor, Jaen Blanco, and Malvasia Riojana. All our vineyards are planted in a mixed fashion and not in order, with all the grapes harvested and vinified together, creating a unique flavour profile in our wines.
We take a hands-on approach to farming, ensuring that we cultivate the highest quality grapes possible. All our fermentations are spontaneous, and we ecologically conduct the vineyard, thus respecting our environment and biodiversity. This commitment to quality is reflected in our wines, which showcase the distinct character of our vineyards.
Our Craft, Our Destiny
Having the privilege of opening some of the world’s best wines and to learn from the best vignerons who truly love what they do, we've drawn inspiration from these encounters and have adopted an old-school, very Burgundian approach to winemaking.
For our white and Clarete (Rose) wines, we work oxidatively early on, while for our red wines, we co-ferment the plots as they are planted, with a combination of whole berry and whole bunch according to the site and the varieties. We focus on light extraction and use big formats in terms of oak barrels.
All our fermentations are spontaneous, and we let the grapes do the talking. Our wines showcase the distinct character of our vineyards, and our commitment to quality is evident in every bottle. We take pride in our process and believe it sets us apart from the rest.
Our Wines
ALBILLO MAYOR
Made from contracted fruit from four centenarian plots in Peñaranda de Duero. Inspired by the best Burgundian producers when it comes to vinification, we foot stomp the grapes, ‘browning’ the juice, basket press them, and then barrel ferment them in François Freres 500lt ‘Rare’ barrels. We let the wine rest on fine lees for approximately seven months.
Production: 1,281 bottles
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CLARETE
A blend made from fruit in Canalejas de Penafiel. It’s an old school style Rosé-Clarete blend that is historically made in the region from our vineyards, plus contracted fruit. We use all seven different grapes found in our vineyards, with mostly Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal & Monastrell in terms of red varieties, and Albillo, Pirulés and Alarije in terms of white grapes. We foot stomp them all together, then basket press and barrel ferment them in 2nd & 3rd fill 300lt Hermitage barrels. We let the wine rest on fine lees for approximately seven months.
Production: 2,280 bottles
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FIELD BLEND
A blend made from our vineyards, plus contracted fruit. We use all seven different grapes found in our vineyards, with mostly Tempranillo, Garnacha, Bobal from reds and Albillo, Pirulés and Alarije in terms of whites. All sites are vinified separately and then blended together. We co-ferment with a combination of whole berry and whole bunches. Hand destemmed, open-top fermented, and 20-30% whole bunch.
Production: 3,800 bottles
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SINGLE VINEYARDS
Fuentecebolla: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 10% white grapes. Valley facing northeast, with a vineyard planted in 1920, sandy and clay soil.
Size of plot: 0,31 HA
Piedra Mediana: 100% Garnacha from a vineyard planted in 1908, with northeast orientation and altitude of 910m above sea level. It is the only plot that we have of a single variety, a Garnacha clone with very small clusters and great acidity.
Size of plot: 0,20 HA
Hontanares: North orientation, altitude of more than 920 m above sea level. 80% Tempranillo 5% Garnacha 5% Valenciano, 10% Albillo, Pirulés and Alarije.
Size of plot: 0,30 HA
El Olmar: Not a single plot, but 4 different plots on a single slope facing east. Planted between 1920 and 1930. Tempranillo, Valenciano & Albillo are the first to ripen, more or less at the same time. The 2 bigger plots, east facing and mostly planted with Garnacha that ripens later.
Size of plots: 0,80 HA
La Cabaña: The plot where Bendito Destino was born, the reason why we started our project. Northeast orientation, with sandy and clay soil. 75% Tempranillo 10% Garnacha & Valenciano, 10% Albillo 5% Alarije and Pirulés.
Size of plot: 0,38 HA
Los Prados: Single vineyard Albillo. Pure East facing at an altitude of approx. 920 meters absl and Albillo vines planted in 1910. Pure limestone soil.
Size of plot: 0,3 HA
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