CASE PRICE = $11.99 per bottle (add 12+ quantity to your basket)
About This Wine:The estate of Abadía Retuerta lies just outside the Ribera del Duero D.O. in the province of Castilla y León, in the heart of an expanse of wine estates known as “the golden mile,” an area parallelling the banks of the Duero River so named for its history of producing some of Spain’s most acclaimed wines. Originally established as the monastery and vineyards of Abadía de Santa María de Retuerta in 1146, the property was purchased in 1988 by the Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis, which revitalized the estate and reestablished it as a winery in 1996.
Abadía Retuerta covers 1,750 acres of which 510 are planted to vineyards divided into 54 blocks identified by soil composition and mesoclimate. Rising from the river bank, at 2,100 feet, to an elevation of 2,550 feet, they describe a gentle, north-facing slope. Soil composition varies from sand, clay and gravel near the river to limestone, aggregate boulders and stone on the upper hillside. The climate is extreme continental and semi-desert, with hot summers, cold winters and annual rainfall of 300 mm to 450 mm.
Each of the 54 vineyard blocks is treated individually from cultivation through blending. The estate’s varietietal representation is 65 percent Tempranillo, 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and ten percent Merlot, with minor plots of Syrah and Petit Verdot. Vines are trained to the espalier system with vertical shoot positioning. Drip irrigation is used when necessary, and clusters are thinned after veraison to achieve an average yield of two to four tons per acre. Six weeks prior to anticipated maturity, the grapes begin analysis which is repeated every two to three days until harvest.
The Abadía Retuerta vinification facility is designed around a gravity flow system which rapidly moves the grapes and wine through each step in the vinification process in the gentlest manner possible. This preserves the natural qualities of the fruit and the imprint of the terroir most effectively in the wine. Specially designed, 6,000-liter stainless steel vessels called “ovi” are used to collect and move the must and wines from one step in the process to the next, eliminating the need for pumps. Technical Director Angel Anocibar directs winemaking with the consultation of Pascal Delbeck.
Harvest is carried out by hand, followed by a rigorous hand sorting. The bunches are destemmed, crushed and transferred in ovi to the fermenters. Alcoholic fermentation is initiated by cultured yeasts and takes place over six to eleven days at a maximum temperature of 85ºF. Several times daily, must is drawn from the tank into ovi and poured back over the cap to submerge the skins. The finished wine macerates on the skins for two weeks to further extract and integrate the tannins, and is then decanted into ovi and transferred to clean tanks for malolactic fermentation. The final Rívola varietal composition is 60 percent Tempranillo and 40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon assembled from wines from selected blocks situated predominantly on limestone soils with some sand and boulders. Aging takes place over 12 months at a constant temperature of 58ºF in two-thirds American and one-third French, medium-toast barriques of no more than two harvest’s use. The wine is then egg-white fined and rough filtered before bottling.
What Does It Taste Like?
Rívola is brilliant ruby in color with violet highlights. On the nose,
the wine is fresh and generously fruity, with impressions of ripe
raspberries, strawberries and wild cherries offset by notes of jasmine,
spice and mint. The fragrance is confirmed on the palate, which is
mellow, fresh and succulent, supported by clean, subtle, sweetly ripe
tannins ending in a silky, elegant finish.
Ratings & Reviews
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
The 2008 Rivola is a blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon displaying aromas of spice box, incense, violets, and black cherry. Savory and sweetly-fruited on the palate, it is an excellent value meant for drinking over the next 4-5 years.
