Bimbache La Raya 2023

Rayco Fernandez and his team in El Hierro present the Bimbache Vinícola project. 

Bimbache La Raya 2023 is a unique wine because of the way it is made. Although ‘La Raya’ could refer to the sherry musts that are fuller-bodied and are normally used for oxidative ageing, in contrast to ‘las palmas’, which are finer and are used for wines intended for oxidative ageing; this was precisely the ageing process used for the wine. However, the idea stems from the Prime Meridian, which for centuries, before being moved to Greenwich, was the imaginary line dividing the world that passed through the island of El Hierro, historically known by the islanders simply as ‘la raya’.

Like all wines from the island of El Hierro, it is unique: made from a blend of local grape varieties including Vijariego Blanco (also known as Diego), Listán Blanco, Marmajuelo, Verdello y Forastera Blanca - all grown in the vineyard known as John Stone.

The must fermented in an old Manzanilla Sherry cask, where it then spent a year under the veil of flor yeast. The winemaking process combines fermentation with indigenous yeasts and minimal intervention, without filtering or fining, and with minimal sulphur added prior to bottling.

In the glass, it differs from John Stone due to the vessel in which it was produced, which also imparts nutty - yeasty so typical of Sherry or wines aged under a veil flor.

Only 600 bottles were produced under this label, bottled in June 2025.

94+ Parker points