O. Rivière La Bastid Blanco

The grapes for the 2019 La Bastid are no longer from La Bastida; they're from Cárdenas, and the blend now has 30% Garnacha Blanca to complement the 70% Viura. Also, one-third now ferments in concrete (the rest in foudre and 500- and 600-liter barrels). It's clean, subtle and fruit driven with notes of white flowers, a very subtle touch of honey, dried apricots and lanolin, which adds complexity. The alcohol is moderate 13% (lower with the Garnacha), and the wine has great freshness (it doesn't go through malolactic). It comes through as very subtle, easy and with a straight nose, but the palate has more complexity than it seems, with some tannic/chalky sensations, very balanced and fresh. This should age nicely in bottle. It was bottled after nine months with lees in the different fermentation containers. 16,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in 2020.