The stars were aligned in 2002 when longtime friends turned brother in laws (Javier married Miguel’s sister, Cristina) Miguel Hornillos and Javier Ballesteros embarked on their winemaking alliance. Both third generation grape growers growing up in in DO Ribera del Duero with their family’s vineyards as their playground, they joined forces with their 40 hectares of combined vineyards in the surrounding areas of Roa in Burgos to create a new generation of winemaking under the label MiBal. Mi(Miguel)Bal(Ballesteros) Ranging from 20-60 years in age, their organic vineyards are a combination of sand, fine gravel, and dry clay all which have poor fertility and produce lower yields of more concentrated, smaller Tempranillo grapes with a deeper color coming from their high skin to must ratio. With vineyards as attractive as theirs, the lion’s share of their grapes are coveted by and sold for top dollar to some of the region’s most prominent wineries like Pago de los Capellanes and Alion. And each year following a meticulous squirreling of only 10-15 % of their harvest, they hand craft wines, on the side of the road, in a humble little winery that houses their dreams and executes their vision. This soulful project of Miguel and Javier has a natural respect for their spectacularly rugged vineyards by farming high quality organic fruit that also follow biodynamic philosophies and follow through with a minimal intervention approach to their work in the winery. Hornillos Ballesteros became Certified Organic with their 2021 harvest.
Massanois
Fine Wines & Spirits
