Ribera del Duero

Home to Vega Sicilia, Spain’s most prestigious bodega, Ribera del Duero literally means the banks of the River Duero and produces outstanding wines for drinking at all ages thanks to a trinity of landscape, climate and its native grape Tempranillo (also known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del País).


In recent years the introduction of modern wine-making technology and serious investment has transformed Ribera del Duero, although its vinicological roots run deep: by the 17th century the bodegas of Aranda del Duero were producing millions of litres of wine, a tradition first brought to the area by monks repopulating a frontier wasteland between the Moors of the Peninsula and the reconquering Christians from the North.

Located in south-eastern Castilla y León, the River Duero meanders west into Portugal where it becomes the Douro, the fabled port river. The vineyards of Ribera spread out north and south of the river for 115 kilometres of its course, running up the valley sides to the páramos – the meadows traditionally given over to the production of cereal crops but where some enologists are now planting vines.

Altitudes varying between 700 and 850 metres are the key to the Tempranillo grape’s success. Extremes of temperature even during the high summer are guaranteed, with hot days followed by cold nights. The stress in the grapes which this provokes helps them to maintain their acidity, giving them their great capacity for ageing.

The other factor which makes Ribera wines special is their "crianza" or ageing in oak barrel and then bottle. Many spend a minimum of 15 months in barrel and then at least a year in bottle. During the ageing process it is normal for wines to pass through a variety of barrels, including American oak as well as French, Ukrainian and Spanish, giving the concept of a "lenta crianza" carried out with "mucho esmero" a slow ageing process carried out with great care.



This is at odds with the practice common among New World producers to try to force the pace with micro-oxigination techniques and the use of wood chips.
The vast majority of bodegas in Ribera’s 186 million square metres of vineyards produce 100 per cent mono-varietal wines, usually labelled Tempranillo. Some, including Vega Sicilia, do use quantities of the other authorised grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha Tinta and Merlot, Malbec and the rare white grape Albilla (although only red and rosado wines are covered by the D.O, established in 1982).

Because of the region’s extremes of climate, its dryness and well-drained soils, the vines are disease-resistant. A lot of the wines are drunk young or just after a few months of ageing, but the most important producers believe that Ribera’s future lies in its Reservas and Gran Reservas. Wines vary from bright, fresh, jewel-bright through elegance and subtle spiciness, improving for up to ten years while retaining their deep black raspberry colouring.

Ribera was established as a D.O. with a handful of bodegas, among them Pesquera, established in 1972 by Alejandro Fernández. Today there are more than 200, including large co-operatives, small family-run bodegas and single estate bodegas.

Rioja

The words Rioja and Spanish wine are practically synonymous. The area is the most famous wine-producing region in the Iberian peninsula and has gained a deserved worldwide reputation for the quality of its red wines.

Located in the north of Spain in and around the historic city of Logroño, La Rioja was once the site of an inland sea. It is sheltered from the more extreme climates of the surrounding areas by the Ebro valley and the mountains that lie to the north and south. The area takes its name from the Río Oja, a tributary of the Ebro and is divided into three sub-regions known as Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja partly because of the different micro-climates and soils to be found in the area.



Rioja Alta, with its more continental climate, has the reputation for producing the best wines, better suited for aging, and accounts for some 42% of the production. Rioja Alavesa is characterised by young vines and relatively small producers, while Rioja Baja, with its more Mediterranean climate, is famed for its strong reds and rosés.

Vine cultivation in the upper Ebro valley dates back to Roman times, while the monasteries scattered across the region and close to the Camino de Santiago helped ensure the preservation and extension of production after the fall of the Empire. It was not until the second half of the 19th century, however, that Rioja really came into its own and developed the reputation that has made it so famous today. With the arrival of phylloxera in France in 1867, the demand for Rioja soared while many enologists relocated south of the Pyrenees bringing with them their extensive knowledge and experience.

One of the new arrivals was the Marqués de Riscal, Camilo Hurtado de Amézaga, who returned to Spain after studying in Paris and Bordeaux to set up the first modern French-style bodega in the zone in 1860. Fellow aristocrat the Marqués de Murrieta shared many of his ideas and they became the leading promoters of the new brand of Riojan wines.

Nowadays the annual production has reached 300 million litres, 85% of which is red wine. Together with Catalunya’s Priorat, Rioja is the only region in Spain to receive the DOC (Denominación de Origen Califacada) label which means its wine is subject to more rigorous controls.

The dark, thick-skinned tempranillo grape is the stalwart of Riojan reds, but it is often blended with the garnacha, mazuelo, graciano and viura varieties. The result is a mellow, medium-flavoured, smooth wine that provides an ideal complement to the characteristic red meat dishes that are popular throughout Spain.