Field Blend Red by Bendito Destino is a refined and juicy red wine, crafted by Terry Kandylis from ancient vines in Ribera del Duero. Confused? Just add a bottle to your basket before it’s gone—there are only a few—and read on to see what a stunning wine we’re talking about.
In the heart of Ribera del Duero, where old vines battle time and the dry, hot climate, Bendito Destino—which translates to “Blessed Fate”—was born. How? In 2020, award-winning sommelier Terry Kandylis (originally from Chalkida, Greece, but based in London) was en route to the Canary Islands when he made a stop that would change his life. In the village of Canalejas de Peñafiel, among abandoned vineyards over 100 years old and at an altitude of 925 metres, he saw the opportunity not only to make his own wine (applying techniques he’d studied from winemakers he admires) but also to honor these venerable old vines. With the help of Secundino, the village’s oldest vine grower, he began piecing together a mosaic of old vineyards—living relics of Spain’s winemaking heritage.
Field Blend Red is the soul of this project. It’s made from up to seven native varieties—like Tempranillo, Garnacha, and Bobal—alongside white grapes such as Albillo, Pirulés, and Alarije, all hand-harvested and co-fermented, just like in the old days. Each vineyard plot is vinified separately, using ambient yeasts, in open-top fermenters, with partial whole-cluster fermentation (20–30%) to highlight both the fruit and the terroir. The wine is then aged for several months in large oak barrels from François Frères and Taransaud, as well as in concrete tanks.
With just 3,800 bottles produced, every sip is a rare glimpse into a world on the brink of disappearing.
