Baluarte Verdejo 2010 received the Regional Trophy White Northern Spain, Decanter 2011

Fri 16 Sep, 2011

Bodegas Chivite has been in business in Navarra since 1647, but it took until 1998 for it to venture out of its home turf – into Rioja when it acquired Viña Salceda. Since then it has expanded elsewhere, including Pago de Arínzano (2007) and now Ribera del Duero and Rueda, with Baluarte (2008).

Baluarte means “bastion”, usually of traditional values, and, after 364 years, Chivite is a living example. The company has, however, in spite of its traditional philosophy, been very amenable to change, as its more recent activities demonstrate.

Baluarte Verdejo is a modern, fresh example of Rueda. A pure Verdejo from a challenging haverst – late, cool spring but hot summer and later harvest. At this stage the company is buying in grapes and using rented space in a winery in La Seca, “testing the water” before investing in a new facility. In the meantime the grapes are sourced from three areas of old vines – nothing younger than 50 years and some, from Segovia, 120 years, all ungrafted and pre-Phyllosera. These old vines add something classic to the taste profile – a thread of aromatic wood oil and aromas of hazelnuts from the gnarled, old wooden stems, and a century of gentle evolution.

John Radford, October 2011

Baluarte Verdejo 2010
Light and lively spring  flower, herbal tea and peach nose, attractive natural acidity, easygoing but with good nutty complexity.
Lovely combination of juiciness and bite.