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Delicious, saline, tongue-scraping tannic grip, vertical rise through the palate and yet rooted to the spot, more about texture and taste than aromatics at this point, but promising so much unfurling over the next four to five years.Studded with sage and rosemary, muscular blackberry and spiced raspberry, fully recommend getting to know this evolving and surprising Ribeiro del Duero. Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet consultants, with winemaker Montxo Martinez and owners Marcos and Carlos Yllera. Vineyards at 750m to 1000m attitude from high quality plots across the region, from a selection of their own vines and some of local growers. Aged in 25% new oak, 10% amphora, and the rest in neutral barrels.
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Jancis Robinson MW
Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Tempranillo, Merlot. A blend from Fuentenebro and La Aguilera. Old vines (around 90 years old) grown between 850 and 1,000 m above sea level. In Fuentenebro predominates red clays; in La Aguilera, sandy soils with a clayey-limestone layer. Hand-harvest. Triple selection of the berries (vineyard, bunch, then an optical sorter). The final blend is made by Jean-Claude and Jeff Berrouet, after the malolactic conversion. 95% of the wine aged 11 months in French oak barrels (15% of them are new), and the remaining 5% aged in Italian terracotta vasijas. 14,000 bottles. Tasted blind. Combination of red and black fruit, with a touch of lollipop that makes it attractive. Very approachable, with moderate alcohol and enhancing freshness. Exquisite and very moderate oak work. Ribera del Duero with softness and roundness, enhancing the fresh fruit character. The hands of Jean-Claude Berrouet and his son Jeff can be perceived in this great wine made from a blend of grapes from different villages. (FC)
The 2019 Vivaltus was produced with a blend of Tempranillo and Merlot from La Aguilera and Fuentenebro in search of elegance, freshness and finesse with the help of Jean-Claude Berrouet. They ferment each plot separately with neutral yeasts, and after malolactic they make the blend that then ages in barrel, 15% new, and 5% in clay tinajas for one year. 2019 was dry, with lower yields, and the grapes were smaller, the skins were hard, and the juice was concentrated and powerful. They did a gentler vinification, trying to extract less. This is always serious and classical, with the ripeness from the year but keeping the floral and elegant side. It has 14% alcohol, a pH of 3.56—keeping the balance in this very warm and dry year—and 5.23 grams of acidity. It has the ingredients and balance between them to age nicely and for a long time in bottle. 16,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in June 2021.
The 2019 Vivaltus hails from Ribera del Duero and was aged up to 12 months in barrel and amphora. Garnet in color, it opens with licorice and wild herbs—laurel and meadow tones—then shifts into black and red fruit, adding complexity. The palate is compact, with reactive fine-grained tannins and a lightly angular structure, finishing with a soft chalky feel. A warmer vintage is evident in the riper fruit and tannin profile. It will evolve more quickly in bottle than the 2018.