Telmo Rodriguez
Yjar
Rioja
2019

The producer

Compañía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez was founded in 1994 by Telmo Rodríguez and Pablo Eguzkiza, two visionary winemakers dedicated to rediscovering Spain’s forgotten vineyards and native grape varieties. Based in Rioja but spanning over a dozen regions, from Galicia and Rueda to Málaga and Alicante, the project embodies a philosophy of authenticity, respect for terroir, and sustainable viticulture. Telmo’s work emphasizes the revival of traditional bush-trained vines, indigenous varieties, and historic vineyard sites once abandoned in the rush toward modernization.

Each wine is crafted using minimal intervention and thoughtful winemaking, often fermented with native yeasts and aged in French oak tailored to highlight regional character. Across their diverse portfolio, from the elegant, age-worthy Riojas like Lanciego to the expressive mountain Garnachas of Pegaso and the aromatic whites of Valdeorras, Telmo Rodríguez’s wines capture the soul of Spain’s varied landscapes. The estate has become a benchmark for contemporary Spanish wine, blending scholarly respect for history with the dynamism of modern craftsmanship.

The wine

Telmo Rodríguez “Yjar” represents the pinnacle of Telmo Rodríguez’s work in Rioja, sourced from the historic Remelluri estate in the foothills of the Sierra de Toloño. This single-vineyard wine blends predominantly Tempranillo with small proportions of Graciano, Garnacha, Gran Negro, and Rojal, all from old, bush-trained vines rooted in limestone and schist soils. The site’s high elevation and Atlantic influence impart both freshness and finesse, balancing the depth of fruit with remarkable tension.

Fermentation takes place with native yeasts in small wooden vats, followed by extended ageing for around 18–20 months in large French oak foudres and barrels to preserve the purity and texture of the fruit. Yjar is produced only in exceptional vintages and released under the strict criteria of the La Place de Bordeaux distribution system, an acknowledgment of its world-class stature. The wine shows a seamless integration of power and grace, offering aromas of wild herbs, black cherry, cedar, and graphite, with a long, mineral-driven finish. Elegant yet profound, Yjar stands as a contemporary benchmark for Rioja’s new era of terroir-driven wines.

We choose our wines based on a range of criteria (see how we choose our wines) of which critic scores is just one. Rather than simply highlight the best score to promote a wine, our average critic score is calculated from the scores provided by several respected wine critics, who we follow for specific regions. They do not represent all critic scores and, wherever possible, we try and give more weight to more recent reviews. Where appropriate we consider market-based scores like Global Wine Score or Wine Searcher Average scores.

As a rule, we look to offer wines that achieve a 92/100 average critic score or better and frankly a lot of very good wines simply don’t make the cut. As a high-end provider we want to reflect that positioning in the quality of wines we offer. Such wines are only a tiny fraction of those generally on offer in the market. We believe that an average score is a more conservative and representative approach, but it is still subjective and only offered as a guide to our customers, who will (and should) do their own research. We will add individual critic scores to our website in the future.