“Altitude is the real magic ingredient when it comes to Ribera del Duero wines. The wines are concentrated, low volume and full of flavour and yet the freshness shines through,” writes Dean.
Ribera del Duero lies between 720m and 1000m above sea level
The single factor that defines the style of wines from Ribera del Duero is the altitude of the region. Talk to a winemaker in any Mediterranean country you care to name about where they’re going to plant their next vineyard and the answer will be “higher”. This is because even just a small elevation makes a big difference to temperature – think 1°C lower for every 100 metres you climb. And this is particularly important for getting a big difference between day temperatures and those at night – the diurnal range.
Grapes love a high diurnal range because like all living things, vines need to chill at night. When they do their grapes retain natural acidity which, in turn, leads to wine made from that fruit having more freshness.
Height also has a benefit regarding the flavour of the wine. The higher the vine is grown the longer it takes for the fruit to ripen which means the winemaker can get greater concentration of flavour and, from a practical point of view, has longer in which to decide when to harvest the grapes. The grapes can reach perfect ripeness which produce wines that have both power and elegance. Conversely, the shorter that harvest window is, the harder it is for the winemaker to pick the fruit without it over-ripening which, with global warming in mind, is an increasingly tough pressure.
Albillo Mayor: allowed under the DO since 2019
Ribera del Duero is a wine region that lies between 720m and 1000m above sea level, making them some of the highest vineyards outside of Switzerland. It’s a region dubbed ‘the Burgundy of Spain’ because of the huge variety of soil types, which gives the winemaker greater choice when it comes to what variety to plant and where. On the whole, though, the main red variety is Tempranillo (called Tinto Fino here) with a smattering of international varieties, and Albillo Mayor for the whites. And with Tempranillo you are talking about big robust, intense fruit flavours that really need that backbone of acidity to carry it in the glass.
Because Tempranillo produces small, thick-skinned berries here on account of the harsh climate, and because the vines in the region are very old (9% are aged 80 years or more), yields are low and flavour concentration is high. Which is why altitude is the real magic ingredient when it comes to wines from Ribera del Duero. The wines are concentrated, low volume and full of flavour and yet the freshness shines through – kept beautifully balanced through acidity that comes from grapes grown at high altitude.
Putting the wines of Ribera del Duero to the test
WHITES AND ROSADOS
There has been an increasing number of white wines made with Abilla Mayor appearing in the region, since a law change in 2019 permitted white Ribera wines to be produced under the DO. Albillo Mayor is much like Chardonnay in terms of body, it’s a grape that comes with moderately high alcohol which is kept in check by the acidity of the grapes and the altitude of the region.
Monasterio de San Miguel 2022, Bodegas Prado de Olmedo
100% Albillo Mayor from 70-year-old vines, freshly made with 3-months ageing in stainless steel on its lees. This has fruity and herbal aromas that has just a nuance of sweetness – I was getting apples, oranges and fennel; the mouthfeel is fresh, fruity with some tropical fruit flavours such as pineapple appearing which also drives the acidity; the wine ends on a nice dry, long and slightly bitter note. €5 ex-cellar.
Ferratus Blanco 2022, Bodegas Cueves Jiminéz
100% Albillo Mayor from 40-year-old vines, whole bunch-pressed for 24 hours then aged in 500 and 225-litre French oak barrels. Straw yellow, the oak ageing brings an element of creaminess to the nose and a sense of sweetness to the fruit. There’s also a toasted character, mixed with white peach and flowers. In the mouth the wine has real presence, with A fine balance and breadth of flavour. Good acidity, fine-grained texture, slight bitter almond finish. A wine with wide gastronomic uses. €6.40 ex-cellar.
Rudeles 23 Rosado 2022, Bodegas Rudeles
100% Tempranillo from 25-year-old vines. A small portion of the free-run juice is fermented in French oak, and then left to age on its lees. The 23 refers to the 23 plots from which the grapes come from. To look at, the wine is a medium salmon pink with saffron highlights; the aromas are an attractive blend of wild strawberries, white flowers and orange water which carry over to the palate which is light, fresh with an lovely viscous quality, and decent acidity giving the wine structure and a serious gastronomic quality that’s missing from lesser rosés. Good orangey length. €5.30 ex-cellar.
Hoyo de la Vega Rosado 2022, Bodegas Valle de Monzón
60% Tempranillo 40% Abrillo from 40-year-old vines grown at an altitude of 900m. This rosado is made using the saignée method which explains the delicate and aromatic qualities. Bottled in green glass. To look at, the wine resembles a glass of Ribena – light, see-through purple with luminous strawberry-red highlights; real tutti-frutti nose of ripe strawberries, cranberries and pink grapefruit which follow through to the palate. Nice balance between ripe, almost confected, red berry fruit, dry palate, firm acidity and a rich, long length. A disarmingly serious rosado. €3.70 ex-cellar.
YOUNG RED WINES – WITH AND WITHOUT BARREL
There follows a focus on 22 Ribera del Duero reds: young wines made with and without wood ageing; Crianzas; Reservas; and Gran Reservas.
In terms of winemaking, there are some common practices used throughout. Fruit tends to be ‘own estate’, hand-picked from old, low-yielding vines, fruit tends to get a cold maceration prior to vinification. Alcohol is on the high side, mainly around 14% abv but the acidity is also high which balances the wine.
Fuentespina 3 meses 2022, Avelino Vegas
100% Tempranillo from 30 year-old vines. A 72-hour cold maceration, is followed by fermentation in steel and then full malolactic in American wood for three months before bottling. Cherry red to look at with purple edging showing its youth; oodles of red fruit – cherries, vanilla pod and a sweet spicy note; in the mouth the wine is fresh, light, with ripe, velvety tannins giving the fruit a nice purchase on the palate. Long length. €3.65 ex-cellar.
ValSotillo 2020, Bodegas Ismael Arroyo
100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) from goblet-pruned vines 840m high. Full malolactic in steel is followed by six months in American barriques in a 16th century underground cellar. Dark ruby with purple edging; ripe black cherries burst forth on the nose, violets, a herbal note; the wine is fresh, refreshing, light on its feet, there is still lots of red and black fruit such as raspberry and blackberry with a lovely blueberry edge that gives balance. Nice dry finish. €5.20 ex-cellar.
Milvus 2021, Bodegas Milvus
100% Tempranillo from 50-70-year-old vines. Fermentation in steel and concrete is followed by full malolactic in second-fill 225-litre French oak. Deep cherry red with inky-purple edging; the aromas are intense with blackberry, mulberry and blue plum leading the fruit charge with a fresh herb note (almost weed!); in the mouth the wine is medium weight, intense fruit, structured with bags of flavour, some complexity (espresso, fresh tobacco, vanilla) and a lovely, very dry stone texture on the finish. €8 ex-cellar.
Olimarum 2020, Bodegas Olimarum
100% Tempranillo from 20-year-old vines grown at 900m on limestone/ clay soils. 12 months ageing in French oak follows fermentation in steel. Deep inky purple; the nose shows plenty of fruit, bramble, black cherry, a touch of bay leaf perhaps and blackcurrant Chewits; medium weight, fresh, black fruit, a little spicy with great structure – ripe, fine-boned tannins – that makes it an ideal pairing with plenty of meat and fish dishes. Nice dry finish and a lick of citrus on the impressive length. €10 ex-cellar.
La Poda 2020, Bodegas Y Viñedos Viña Mayor
95% Tempranillo 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from 12-15-year-old vines, steel fermented and then aged in French oak. The touch of Cabernet Sauvignon is immediately a point of difference here – used sparingly like a seasoning rather than bringing too much heft into the structure. To look at the wine is deep ruby red; on the nose you pick up blackcurrant, blackberry with some savoury qualities; in the mouth the wine is fresh, clean, with a micro-fine tannic structure and a mouth-watering dry finish and nice fruity length. Would pair well with tapas or tomato-based dishes. This is part of the estate’s Collection of varietal wines aimed at showing the diversity of Spanish wines, landscapes and terroirs. €5.10 ex-cellar.
Clon 98 2021, Casa Rojo Bodegas Y Viñedos
100% Tempranillo from 26-50-year-old vines grown at 800 metres. The wine ages for 180 days in French oak. Medium to light cherry red in colour, red and black fruit such as ripe strawberries and blackberries on the nose, a touch of cinnamon stick; in the mouth the wine is bright, fresh, with concentrated red fruit flavours, red liquorice, just-ripe light tannins, and a fairly decent structure. This has massive length with the 15% abv adding heat on the finish. Complex and captivating – as much for the wine as for the label simply bearing a chimpanzee’s head. €6.93 ex-cellar.
La Estación 2021, Canta Muda
100% Tempranillo from vines grown 820m up on sandy, calcareous and gravelly soils. A double grape selection in both vineyard and winery precedes 12-13 months in 500-litre French oak (medium toast and fine grain). Deep red with inky-purple hues; Ripe black and red fruit dominate on the nose, blackberry with a nice, lifted confected note, strawberries, toast; in the mouth the wine is medium weight, structured with firm, ripe, grainy tannins; a lot of fruit here, a lot of power with good structure and those subtle toasted notes. €9.95 ex-cellar.
La Lobita 2021, La Bodegs de la Loba
95% Tempranillo and 5% Albillo fermented in an open-top 500-litre French oak barrel with light toasting. Full malolactic fermentation with the lid closed. The lightest, crunchiest of this selection of wines, the 5% Albillo and the style of fermentation bringing the alcohol in at a tidy 12.5% and allowing the wine to be fresh and fruity – from the very light cherry red colour and the nose of raspberries, blackberries and liquorice, through to the blue plum-skin crunch of a real glou-glou wine. Hugely versatile with a range of foods as light, fruity wines tend to be. This is an atypical Ribera red that’s daring to be different. €13.35 ex-cellar.
Lynus Infante 2022, Lynus Viñedos y Bodegas
100% Tempranillo from a 30% sloping vineyard 820 metres up, the plot which produces the freshest fruit at the estate. Low intervention wine with ‘soft’ fermentation in steel followed by five months in French oak. Deep red/purple; the nose is intense with concentrated blackberries, sweet cherry chews, toast and liquorice root; fresh, perfectly balanced with well-integrated ripe tannins that hold the wine in place. The finish is dry and long with Pontefract cake and lashings of juicy black fruit. Feels like it needs another year in bottle, or else pair it with a hearty meat stew. €5.30 ex-cellar.
Vilano Black 2021, Bodega Vilano
100% Tempranillo sourced from the best of four plots with vines over 50 years old. After steel fermentation the wine is aged for eight months in French oak and then three months in bottle prior to release. Deep, dark garnet; the nose is intense – wild red and black cherries, black cherry confiture, spices, with toasty overtones; in the mouth the wine is medium weight, structured, with ripe, fine-boned tannins, a lot of texture here and a good grip on the palate with a long, acidity-charged finish. €5.50 ex-cellar.
CRIANZAS
15 meses 2020, Bodega Dehesa de los Canónigos
A blend of 85% Tempranillo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that is aged for 15 months in American oak. This is the estate’s flagship wine. Deep ruby red with purple hues; the nose offers black fruits like cherry, blackberry along with red plum; with time in the glass you pick up garrigue notes and cracked black pepper; in the mouth the wine is medium weight, fresh, vibrant, great acidity, the tannins ripe and fine-grained with juicy red cherries – the wine has a nice warmth and textural length with a touch of cedar on the finish. €14 ex-cellar.
Jesus Yllera 2016, Bodegas Yllera
A blend of 89% old vine Tempranillo and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, grown at 1000 metres on clay and sandy soils, then aged for 12 months in a mix of French and American oak. Cherry red to look at, the nose has juicy cherries, plum, blackberry with vanilla, cedar, liquorice, pencil lead and a lifted eucalyptus note; the palate is fresh, cool and pure, nicely balanced by the intensity of the fruit and the powerful tannins, the Cabernet Sauvignon adding fresh blackcurrant and cassis. Great balance here. €15.65 ex-cellar.
Abés Vendimia Seleccionada 2019, Bodegas Roberik
100% Tempranillo from 50-year-old vines grown at 820-920 metres. Full malolactic fermentation in steel is followed by 12 months in 50% new French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. Deep red and purple; on the nose you can find wild bramble fruit, dark plums, bay leaf, sweet tobacco; the palate is cool, fresh, with a good degree of concentrated black fruit, dried fig, the micro-fine ripe tannins adding structure, and giving a very dry finish. Structured and bold but nicely balanced and easy drinking. €6.30 ex-cellar.
Seleccion “La Aguilera” 2020, Bodegas Dominio de Cair
100% Tempranillo from 45-year-old vines at 820m high with a variety of aspects on clay sandy/loam soils. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in steel followed by 14 months ageing in second-use French and American oak barrels. Deep ruby-purple; the nose is broody with alluring dark aromas of black chocolate and coffee grounds and toast along with balsamic and oodles of ripe, black fruit; the palate is fresh, lovely acidity, black fruit with a blueberry and plum skin crunch. Complex and gastronomic – nice dry, almost citrus, finish. €9.15 ex-cellar.
Finca Rodma Selección 2020, Finca Rodma
100% Tempranillo from 35-year-old vines grown on stony, sandy and limestone soils. A 30-day maceration is followed by ageing for 12 months in French and American oak (60/40). Cherry red with garnet hues; the nose offers ripe blackberries, red cherries and strawberry too, dried black rose petals; the palate is medium weight, fresh, structured and dry, mouth-watering, great acidity and balance, nice length. Really tasty. €13.50 ex-cellar.
Sarmentero VS 2019, Bodegas Sarmentero
100% Tempranillo spending 12 months in French oak. Deep cherry red with purple edging; the aromas have an attractive wildness about them – scrubland, garrigue herbs along with black fruit, cloves and liquorice, a candy note; in the mouth the wine is light to medium weight, textured with fine, ripe, grainy tannins, there is a good degree of elegance here, the palate verring towards fine black cherry and plum flavours; structured, the finish is dry, smooth with a river-stone texture, mineral-charged. €8.50 ex-cellar.
Pirámide 2017, Bodegas Montegaredo
100% Tempranillo grown on clay and limestone soil. Following extensive selection the wine is aged for 12-14 months. Deep ruby with purple undertones; the nose is rich and intense offering wild fruit, blackberry, plum, spices, rolling tobacco; the mouthfeel is smooth and light, then more structured and powerful with time in the mouth, ripe wild blackberries, plums, ripe, fine-grained tannins, power and elegance with good balance. How this is 15.5% abv I do not know – the balance is everything. €7 ex-cellar.
Tr3smano Vendimia 2019, Lagar de Proventus
100% Tempranillo that spends 16 months in French and American oak barrels. Deep purple-red, intense attractive and complex nose in which you can find ripe red fruit, fig, spices and a lifted black tea note; in the mouth the wine is medium to full-bodied with that acidity keeping everything in check, balanced and fresh, structured and powerful, intense but with fresh, lovely silky tannins and a long, resinous finish – built for food and the long haul. With 50,000 bottles made this is one of the larger productions in this selection of wines. €20 ex-cellar.
RESERVAS and GRAN RESERVAS
mb 2014, Martín Berdugo
100% Tempranillo from the best parcels in this single vineyard estate. Fermented in steel with full malolactic carried out in French oak where the wine was aged for over four years. Deep ruby red, the nose and palate are complex, intense and inviting with rich, ripe sweet strawberries, cherries and blackberries, vanilla pod and cedar wood; the mouthfeel is luscious and silky with powder-fine, ripe tannins working with firm acidity to give a great backbone which gives perfect balance and belies the 15% abv. This is the first vintage following the lightning-strike fire that demolished the winery – leading to a qualitative leap up thanks to the newly-installed equipment. €28.91 ex-cellar.
Pagos de Anguiz ‘Prado Lobo’ Reserva 2018, Bodegas Pagos de Anguix
100% Tempranillo from 35-year-old vines grown on rocky/ calcareous soils 850 metres high. The wine was aged for 20 months in extra fine grain French oak barrels. Ruby red; the nose is intense, with wild blackberries and cherries and a spicy, sweet tobacco note; in the mouth the wine is medium bodied, fresh, with the wood giving it a lovely grainy texture. There’s baskets of black fruit but the concentration is beautifully balanced by the firm, structured acidity. Long, dry finish with an attractive crème de mure note and a touch of caramel. €37 ex-cellar.
Astil Reserva 2017, Bodegas del Linaje Garsea
80% Tempranillo (25+ year-old trellised vine), 20% Tinta del Pais (48-year-old bush vine), with the wine aged for 14 months in a mix of American (45%), French (45%) and Spanish and Hungarian barrels (10%), then aged in bottle until release. Deep cherry red; there’s a lovely wildness to the fruit here, wild bramble fruit, blue plums with toasted coconut, spice tin; the black fruit is juicy in the mouth with blackcurrant, spicy plum and the fine-boned, ripe tannins increasingly making their presence felt. Nice long dry finish. €16 ex-cellar.
Figuero Tinus 2017, Bodegas Garcia Figuero
100% Tempranillo from vines planted in 1940 and 1965. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place in open top 500-litre barrels before spending 24 months in new fine-grain French oak barrels. This is a super-premium cuvée and the nose immediately conveys good breeding. The wine is dark red almost black; the aromas spill out of the glass with layers and a good degree of complexity – the fruit appears red at first, elegant with deep, black spicy undertones, think liquorice, cardamon, clove and bay leaf; in the mouth the wine is elegant, fresh, light on its feet, then becomes more structured over time with ultra-fine grained, ripe tannins – a good grip – which calls out for slow cooked cuts of meat. Massive length with a little heat from the 15% alcohol. Impressive. €130 ex-cellar.
Ribera del Duero DO is bringing its Top 100 Tasting with Tim Atkin MW to London for a fourth year on Tuesday 14th November. To register click here.
