2016 Vivaltus (1.5L)

Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero, Castilla y Leon, Spain

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Producing two spectacular, highly rated Tempranillo wines in its inaugural vintage, Vivaltus is an exciting new project from the Yllera family that should be on the radar of every Spanish wine fan, founded as a collaboration with the legendary Jean-Claude Berrouet, winemaker at Chateau Petrus for over 40 years. Described as a “standout” project by Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, the 96 pt. 2016 Vivaltus and the 93 pt. 2016 La Fleur de Vivaltus are exquisite expressions of old vine Tempranillo crafted by a Bordeaux master, offered in a range of formats at best on the market pricing.

Built into a spectacular hilltop in the Valle del Cuco between the medieval castles of Penafiel and Curiel de Duero, Vivaltus combines outstanding old vine fruit from Ribera del Duero with the winemaking techniques Berrouet brought from Bordeaux, including picking the grapes earlier, minimizing the use of new oak and blending the native Tempranillo with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Sourced from vineyards in the south of Burgos, the Tempranillo vines range from 70 to over 100 years of age and come from a mosaic of terroirs, including two notable vineyards. Located between 900 and 1,000 meters above sea level, the soils of the Fuentenebro vineyard are made up of decomposed granite and red clay, contributing freshness and natural acidity while La Aguilera, located between 840 and 870 meters above sea level with sandy and clay-limestone soils, adds chalky minerality to the blend. Fermenting both wines in stainless steel with natural yeasts and aging them mostly in used French oak, the outstanding 93 pt. La Fleur de Vivaltus offers an “impressive elegant nose” with fresh flavors and balanced structure according to the Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez, while the “ethereal” 96 pt. Vivaltus is described as “elegant and refreshing” by Decanter’s Tim Atkins with a lingering finish that critic Gutierrez sums up as “A truly breathtaking Ribera del Duero.”

Recently released for the first time on La Place de Bordeaux and “soon to be an important name in Ribera del Duero,” according to Gutierrez, the Vivaltus star is on the rise, with prices for future vintages likely to rise with it – making this offer to purchase the incredible 2016 Vivaltus wines at value pricing an opportunity that Spanish wine lovers will not want to miss.

96WA

96JA

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...

96 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Issue # 246 - Dec 2019)

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.

96 points, Jane Anson (Sep 2021)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$249.98

Compare At: $269.99

1 bottle in stock. Ships in 1 to 2 business days.

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