2016 Vivaltus

Needs time to open up, as even at five years old it has muscles and well-framed fruits, but it is so worth the wait of a few hours in a carafe. Fragrant raspberry leaf, sandalwood, tobacco, pencil lead, juicy black cherry, blood orange, melted tannins, all with finesse and complexity. The wine is made from old vines, up to 90 year (almost entirely) Tempranillo sat at between 750m and 1000m altitude, from a selection of their own vines, and those of local growers. This is the first vintage on the Place, and a new project, and it's standout. 25% new oak, Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet are consultants, working along with winemaker Montxo Martinez and owners Marcos and Carlos Yllera.

The eponymous 2016 Vivaltus was really impressive. I was already amazed at the unbottled sample, and the finished wine seems even better! It's a blend of Tempranillo with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, mostly from old vines. It fermented in stainless steel with neutral yeasts and aged for around 12 months in French barriques, 20% of them new. But there's no oak in the nose, which is ethereal and perfumed, elegant and nuanced, with notes of violets, wild berries and herbs. The palate shows ultra-refined tannins and comes through as beautifully textured, with a fine, chalky minerality, very good precision, clean and focused flavors and a long, tasty finish. This is really amazing. 16,000 bottles were filled in July 2018. Prices had not yet been set, but when I first tasted it some 16 months ago, they were talking about something around $150...

100% Tinto Fino. 16,000 bottles. A promising project, in which Bordeaux's Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet participate, based in Curiel del Duero. It has a more delicate profile with somewhat more mature fruit than El Jardín de Vivaltus. It is compact, but it makes you salivate. Savoury, with complete tannins, but replenished with delicacy. It is a Ribera with a soft, deep and elegant profile. Very well crafted. A fantastic project that will echo in the future for sure. (FC)