Ribera del Duero

Ribera del Duero is a prestigious wine region in the heart of Spain, renowned for producing powerful, complex, and intensely concentrated red wines from the Tempranillo grape. Located on a high-altitude plateau along the Duero River, this region's extreme climate forges wines of incredible depth and structure. While Rioja is known for its elegance, Ribera del Duero is celebrated for its power and richness, offering a bold expression of Spain's noble grape.

Food Pairings with Ribera del Duero Wines

Crianza/Reserva: The classic pairing is with lechazo asado (roast suckling lamb), the local specialty. It is also excellent with grilled steaks, game meats, and aged hard cheeses.

Geography & Climate

Ríbera del Duero is located on the meseta central, the high northern plateau of Spain. The vineyards are planted at very high altitudes, typically between 700 and 1,000 meters (2,300 to 3,300 feet). This altitude is the key to the region’s success.

The climate is extreme and continental, with scorching hot summers, freezing cold winters, and a huge diurnal temperature range. The intense daytime sun allows the grapes to develop deep color and ripe fruit flavors, while the cold nights preserve acidity, giving the wines structure and freshness.

History of Ribera del Duero

While winemaking in the region is ancient, Ribera del Duero’s modern story is one of a dramatic rise to fame. For most of the 20th century, the region was largely unknown, with only a handful of producers, the most famous being the legendary Vega Sicilia. The official DO was only created in 1982, with just a dozen wineries.

It was the arrival of producers like Alejandro Fernández of Pesquera in the 1980s and the subsequent high praise from international critics that ignited a “gold rush,” turning Ribera del Duero into one of the world’s most exciting and respected fine wine regions.

Subregions and Appellations

An unofficial term for a stretch of land along the Duero River that is home to many of the region's most famous and historic wineries, including Vega Sicilia and Pingus.

Areas around 900-1,000 meters are increasingly sought after for producing wines with greater freshness and elegance.

Signature Wine Styles

Red

• Joven/Roble: Young wines with little or no oak aging, meant to be fresh and fruity. • Crianza: Aged for at least two years, with one in oak. These are rich and powerful, with dark fruit flavors and spicy oak notes. • Reserva: Aged for at least three years, with one in oak. These wines are complex and concentrated, with a balance of ripe fruit and savory notes. • Gran Reserva: Made only in the best years and aged for at least five years, with two in oak. These are the region's most powerful, complex, and long-lived wines. • Rosado (Rosé): The region also produces fresh and fruity rosé wines, known locally as clarete.

Notable Producers

Vega Sicilia

Spain's most iconic and prestigious winery, founded in 1864. Its "Unico" is a legendary, long-lived wine that is one of the most sought-after in the world.

Dominio de Pingus

A cult winery founded by Danish winemaker Peter Sisseck. Its "Pingus" is a tiny-production, modern icon made from old vines that fetches astronomical prices.

Alejandro Fernández (Pesquera)

The winemaker who put Ribera del Duero on the modern map, producing rich, powerful, traditional-style wines.

AALTO

A modern project focused on producing a single, high-quality wine from old vines across the region's different villages.

Emilio Moro

A respected family-owned winery known for its range of pure, powerful Tinto Fino wines.

Fun Facts about Ribera del Duero

The region's name means "Bank of the Duero," as the vineyards follow the Duero River, which flows west into Portugal where it becomes the Douro.
The region is home to some of Spain's oldest Tempranillo vines, with some vineyards being over 100 years old.
Despite its fame, the Ribera del Duero DO was only created in 1982.
The local clone of Tempranillo, Tinto Fino, has adapted to the extreme climate and is genetically distinct from the Tempranillo in Rioja.

Ribera del Duero

Quick Facts

Key Grape Varieties

Red Varieties

White Varieties