RIBERA DEL DUERO

Feature : Ribera del Duero

RIBERA DEL DUERO

We finally decided to visit a prominent red wine region in Spain. It would be easy to see Rioja, Spain’s star-powered equivalent of “Napa.” But that is the place every wine writer visits first.

We were looking for a region that was up-and-coming and unique. We heard wine critics refer to Ribera del Duero as the “Burgundy of Spain”. After conducting our research, we found that RDD had a link to Burgundy. The region was first established by Benedictine Monks who came to the area in the twelfth century from Cluny, a town in the Burgundy region of France. They brought their knowledge of winemaking, and some monasteries are still producing wine in the area.

The Ribera del Duero D.O.P (Denominación de Origen Protegida) was established in 1982, making it a youthful region. The 2022 harvest was the 40th for the D.O. and this year has been filled with celebrations and events commemorating this milestone.

Types of Grapes Grown in Ribera del Duero

• Tinto Fino (a local variety of Tempranillo): Red & Rosé wines

• Grenacha: Red & Rosé wines Albillo: White wines

Ribera del Duero Wine Classifications

• Crianza: Aged for at least one year in oak barrels.

• Reserva: Aged at least one year in oak barrels and an additional two or more in bottles.

• Gran Reserva: Aged at least two years in oak barrels and three or more years in bottles.

Unique Terroir

• Extreme Climate: Dry summers, long, harsh winters (-4 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit)

Soil types: Clay, limestone, and stones

• Altitude: Between 720 to 1,100 meters (2,360 to 3,600 feet) above sea level.

Ribera del Duero Quick Facts

• Total Hectares of Grape Vines Planted: 26,122.70 (64,548 acres)

• Number of wineries in the region: 311 Number of bottles produced by region in 2022: 100,725,138

• Breakdown of wine types produced: 98.4% reds / 1.4% rosés / 0.2% whites

• Main grape: Tempranillo = 97% of harvested grapes

Story and photos by Christopher J Davies