A Rediscovered Bobal from the Vinalopó Highlands
Va de Bo Bobal 2021 is a red wine from Alicante produced by Bodegas Finca Collado from 100% Bobal grown in a small plot of old vines in Biar, in the upper Vinalopó area. The variety, once present in this part of Alicante, has almost disappeared from its vineyards, and the winery is working to preserve and recover this distinctive plot.
This wine is deeply connected to its origin. The Bobal comes from a single plot of barely one hectare, planted with vines over 50 years old on sandy former riverbed soils. These are very low-yielding vines, producing small grapes with thick skins and an acidity that maintains good balance throughout ripening.
One Hectare of Old Bobal Vines in Biar
Bobal is primarily associated with other wine-growing areas of south-eastern Spain, but it was also historically present in the Vinalopó highlands. Today, only a few small plots remain. This is precisely why this wine is interesting beyond the grape variety itself: it offers the opportunity to discover an expression of Bobal grown in inland Alicante.
Finca Collado works with vines over half a century old, sourced exclusively from this plot in the municipality of Biar. Its small size and low yields mean that the wine is closely defined by one very specific vineyard rather than being made from grapes blended from different plots.
The name also refers directly to Valencian culture. “Va de bo” is a traditional expression from Pilota Valenciana, a game that once had a strong presence in the Vinalopó valleys. It is used to signal to the opponent that play is beginning or resuming.
Whole Bunches and Carbonic Maceration
The winemaking process seeks to preserve the personality of this old-vine Bobal through an unconventional approach. The grapes are harvested by hand, and a significant proportion of the bunches are kept whole at the beginning of the process.
Vinification begins with a 10-day carbonic maceration in old, open 600-litre barrels, using 50% whole bunches and 50% whole berries. The grapes are then crushed to complete alcoholic fermentation.
This use of whole bunches and uncrushed grapes shapes the wine's expression before its time in oak. Once malolactic fermentation is complete, a second stage begins that is fundamental to defining this wine.
12 Months on Its Lees in 500-Litre French Oak Barrels
Once malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is transferred to new 500-litre French oak barrels. It remains there for 12 months, ageing on its own lees.
The use of 500-litre barrels creates a different relationship between wine and oak compared with smaller Bordeaux barrels. In Va de Bo Bobal, this maturation complements fruit from old, very low-yielding vines while preserving the identity of both the grape variety and the vineyard.
An Alicante Red Wine that Reveals Another Side of Bobal
This wine is particularly interesting for those looking for bottles connected with traditional grape varieties and small recovered vineyards. This is not simply a single-varietal Bobal, but an interpretation of a surviving plot in an area where the grape once played a more significant role.
We recommend serving it slightly cool, avoiding excessively high room temperatures. A serving temperature of approximately 15 to 17 °C allows a red wine of this style to be enjoyed without the alcohol or oak dominating the glass. A large wine glass and a few minutes of aeration can also help it open up.
At the table, it pairs well with meat-based rice dishes, cured meats, grilled meats, Mediterranean stews and mature cheeses. It is also particularly well suited to a meal centred around produce from the province of Alicante, reinforcing the connection between the wine, inland Vinalopó and the local cuisine.
At Licorea, we particularly value Va de Bo Bobal 2021 for revealing a less familiar side of Alicante wine: old-vine Bobal grown in Biar, sourced from a single one-hectare plot and made using whole bunches before 12 months of maturation in French oak. A distinctive wine that offers an insight into the work being done to recover the viticultural heritage of inland Alicante.
