Faithlegg Wine Evening

 An evening of award winning dining with wine pairing

 Indulge in an immersive evening of food and wine in the luxurious surrounds of Faithlegg. Tailored toward wine enthusiasts and gourmands, the evening promises to excite and delight those who attend. Experience the craftsmanship of wines presented in a guided tasting by Melanie Hickman paired with a 7 course tasting menu curated by Executive Chef Jenny Flynn.

All about the wines

BODEGAS BHILAR

Located in the Basque country, Bodegas Bhilar is the boutique winery in Elvillar, Rioja Alavesa. They are a husband and wife team, David Sampedro and Melanie Hickman, dedicated to producing unique wines that reflect a sense of place through biodynamic viticulture and minimal intervention in the winery. Bhilar is the name of the village, Elvillar, in the Basque language. David started this journey in 1999 with just three hectares of vines. An Agricultural Engineer, Licensed Enologist, and Vine Grower from Elvillar, he chose to blaze his own path by converting our vineyards to organic viticulture to reveal a different side of Rioja in a bottle.Shortly after converting to Organic, David discovered Biodynamic Agriculture and they embraced its principles to restore Harmony Between Man, Earth, Vines, and the Cosmos. In 2014, they eliminated tractors and reintroduced horses to plough the soil. Their estate was certified Biodynamic by Demeter International in 2021.

ECO-CONSCIOUS WINERY

In 2016, they realised their dream of building an eco-conscious winery that blends into the landscape. Their “off the grid” design utilises solar and wind power for the entire estate, and they built the winery partially underground with concrete fermentation tanks to help control the temperature naturally.They continually integrate improvements to their estate to foster a circular economy model, enhancing biodiversity across their lands.

MELANIE HICKMAN

“I’m Melanie Hickman, a North American who followed my heart to Spain, where I invested my life savings to purchase my first vineyard in Rioja Alavesa.That marked the beginning of my winemaking journey under the name of Etérea Kripan. With a focus on biodynamic

viticulture, biodiversity, and eco-conscious practices, I’ve worked to craft wines that intertwine land stewardship with environmental

awareness.Co-creating with my husband, David Sampedro, I make my wines in Bodegas Bhilar, reflecting our shared commitment to

regenerative agriculture and sustainability. For me, winemaking is about more than just the wine–it’s about fostering a symbiotic

relationship with the earth”