With a challenging climate, high elevations and exceptional soils. This is where VIVALTUS'sfinest Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes are grown, within one of Spain’s most renowned designations of origin: Ribera del Duero.
The selection of vineyards on both banks of the Duero River has always been guided by their exceptional quality and by the winegrowers who tend them. We have built a strong relationship of trust with these growers, who care for some of the finest vineyards in Valladolid and Burgos, maintaining low yields while working with the utmost respect for nature.
The soils are remarkably diverse: predominantly red and clay-rich, with some limestone, low nutrient levels and a pronounced mineral character. Feldspar, quartz and mica are also present—minerals once extracted from now-abandoned mines located near the vineyards.
All these factors, combined with the region's extreme climate and elevations approaching 1,000 metres, result in complex, nuanced grapes with excellent acidity and an abundance of fruit, giving rise to wines of remarkable elegance and freshness.
Fuentenebro is one of the cornerstones of our grape sourcing. A truly magical place for growing vines, it is a region we first placed our trust in more than 20 years ago.
Old, bush-trained vines, originally planted with quality rather than yield in mind. They grow alongside holm oaks, almond trees, conifers, junipers, wild roses and even the occasional common juniper—a reflection of the minimal intervention practised by generations of winegrowers, who respected the land and seamlessly integrated viticulture with the existing flora and fauna.
The climate is strongly influenced by its proximity to the mountains: extreme, highly continental and arid, with annual rainfall of around 500 mm and dramatic temperature variations between day and night.
At around 1,000 metres above sea level, these are among the highest vineyards in Ribera del Duero. This altitude provides the freshness the vines need throughout their growing cycle, particularly in the face of today's changing climate.
In La Aguilera, we find a greater diversity of terroirs, with clay-loam soils interspersed with sandy soils, many of them rich in limestone. These soils lend the wines remarkable freshness and floral character.
La Aguilera is the perfect complement to Fuentenebro. Here, we find a remarkable diversity of terroirs, surrounded by a rich variety of plant life, dominated by holm oaks and maritime pines, alongside kermes oaks and Mediterranean scrubland.
A variety of sun exposures, at elevations ranging from 840 to 870 metres, allow the grapes to ripen without an excessively prolonged growing season. The landscape is shaped by numerous valleys, each with its own distinctive character and subtle microclimatic variations.
Old, bush-trained vines, some of them pre-phylloxera, with moderate vigour. Alongside the predominant Tempranillo, varieties such as Bobal, Albillo and Garnacha can also be found interplanted throughout the vineyards.
Planting densities are high, with row spacing of 1.8 to 2 metres and distances of 1.3 to 1.5 metres between vines.
The soils are sandy loams, with a significant limestone presence and, in some areas, high iron content. Certain vineyard plots also contain considerable amounts of gravel. These soils contribute finesse, minerality and remarkable length to the wines.
Anguix lies in the heart of the Burgos area of Ribera del Duero. Its terrain is rugged, in contrast to the high plateaus of Moradillo, with elevations ranging from 820 to 860 metres above sea level.
Small plots of century-old, mixed-variety, bush-trained vines. The vineyards are planted on hillsides with wide vine spacing, and it is rare to find an old vineyard without a majestic walnut tree standing alongside it.
Ripening occurs later here than in La Aguilera or Fuentenebro.
Moradillo de Roa. Clay soils with a significant presence of pebbles and gravel, and a pronounced mineral character. The continental climate is particularly intense in this area, with very cold winters and slow ripening, aided by the presence of rounded stones. The result is intensely fruity, full-bodied and elegant wines with excellent acidity.
Moradillo de Roa. In our search for high-altitude vineyards capable of preserving freshness and mitigating the effects of climate change, we turned to the high plateaus of Moradillo de Roa. At around 950 metres above sea level, these remarkably flat plateaus are characterised by moderately fertile soils.
Vineyards over 50 years old, with both bush-trained and trellised vines, planted at wider spacings than in neighbouring Fuentenebro.
The first cornerstone of Vivaltus excellence lies in the quality of its raw materials: A careful selection of the finest vineyards in Ribera del Duero. Bush-trained vines between 50 and 100 years old, growing at elevations ranging from 750 to 1,000 metres above sea level. These vineyards are located in La Aguilera, Fuentenebro, Gumiel de Izán, Anguix, Peñafiel and Curiel de Duero, and, since 2020, also in the Atauta area.
“When the grapes arrive at our winery, we make sure to treat the winegrowers’ treasure with the utmost care. Each vineyard plot is fermented separately in individual tanks, minimising oxygen exposure, with very gentle pump-overs and meticulous monitoring throughout the process.”
Highly diverse soils, predominantly clay and sandy loam. Very low yields, rarely exceeding 3,000 kg/ha.