D.O. Ribera del Duero

The D.O. Ribera del Duero, in Castilla y León, is one of the most prestigious appellations in Spain, famous for its reds made from Tinta del País (Tempranillo) on the banks of the Duero river.

The production area covers a territory about 115 kilometres long where four provinces meet: Burgos, Valladolid, Soria and Segovia.

• Size: more than 23,000 hectares of registered vineyards.
• Altitude: the vineyards lie at altitudes ranging from 700 to over 1,000 metres above sea level.
• Climate: Mediterranean with continental influence. It is characterised by dry summers and long, harsh winters, with an extreme temperature swing between day and night during ripening, which favours optimal acidity and colour concentration in the grapes.

The success of the appellation revolves above all around one queen variety:

• Tinta del País (Tempranillo): the main grape, which must account for at least 75% of the red wines produced. It is a local adaptation of Tempranillo to the harsh climate of the Ribera.
• Other red varieties: it is complemented by grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha Tinta.
• White varieties: the native Albillo Mayor is the authorised white variety, used for its white wines and to add freshness to some blends with reds.

Ribera del Duero wines are known for being powerful, full-bodied and elegant, with an exceptional balance between ripe fruit and the complexity that oak brings in their ageing categories (Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva).