DO Ribera del Duero – Guaranteed prestige

LOCATION AND HISTORY

It is in a settlement located in the confluence of the provinces of Burgos (which covers close to 60 municipalities), Soria (19), Segovia (4) and Valldolid (19). It starts with the East in San Esteban de Gormaz and extends up to Quintanilla de Onésimo in the West. This is Ribera del Duero, one of the most representative names in Spanish wine, up to the point in which its crops make up approximately 2% of the Spanish surface area. An area that has been favoured by a combination of land, microclimate and native grape. It was the Romans who understood its potential, although from the 10^th century it was the Christian monks who were responsible for spreading the cultivation amongst the town. The energy and drive of the family viticulturists, with names such as Vega Sicilia, has resulted in the area becoming a worldwide reference point.

SOILS

Located on the large northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, this DO is found on large and smooth bedrock and partially covered by tertiary sediments. The key element in the quality of the soil of Ribera del Duero is the content of limestone and chalk, which makes up 33% of the composition in the West and over 50% in the East, up to the point of being practically white in some cases. The land varies considerably: the river banks and the lowlands are called countryside and terraces; the shallow foothills which are found above are slopes; and the steepest slopes, not fit for cultivation, are called hills or slopes, but planting is beginning even on these more recently.

CLIMATE

The climate of the valley of Duero balances the continental influences, such as the extreme winter cold of the plateau, with some Mediterranean characteristics, since it is generally warm and dry, it is protected by the cold winds and has moderate to low rainfall. The summers are hot and dry, but the summer temperatures lower considerably during the night due to the altitude, which enables the vines to cool down and rest in order to achieve an optimal taste. The frost is a constant concern from the end of autumn up to spring, since the temperatures very occasionally can drop to -20 ° C.

TYPE OF GRAPE

Tempranillo, also known as Tinta del País or Tinto Fino, is the main grape in the area and is planted in 85% of the vineyards. There are five authorised varieties, although three are historical examples: Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Garnacha Tinta is mainly used for the production of rosé wines, whilst the white varieties are produced from Albillo, with a very good adaptation due to its early ripening. In general, the vines are very wholesome and give the wine a unique taste, most of all due to such an extreme climate.