Bodega, Vivaltus Vintage:2017 earth and an intriguing mix

earth and an intriguing mix of spice elements that include clove

finely etched

this is an excellent long-term and delicious Saint-Estèphe

The wine shows a brown

(from a superbly situated 1 ha parcel high on the hill)

Bodega, Vivaltus Vintage:2017 earth and an intriguing mixThe 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