Ribera del Duero, a visit worth (part 1)

Have you ever been to Ribera del Duero? Probably not.

The question is then why not? Everybody knows the wine from Ribera del Duero but not much about the area. La Rioja is more famous and not only because of the wine. 

Last year we visited La Rioja and we fell in love with the scenery there, the fantastic architecture of bodegas, the mountains, the food, the historic villages etc. About that trip you can read in our other Blog. But we were very curious if we would have the same feeling about Ribera la Duero. 

We stayed in La Rioja almost the same amount of time as in Ribera del Duero. The only difference is that we visited Ribera del Duero in May and La Rioja in August.

With my car we drove in La Rioja but also in Ribera del Duero. It is good to have a car. You can see a lot in a short time.

Our trip was focust on wine and bodegas. But we also like to know the area, try restaurants, visit city’s and monuments. 

But before telling about our trip we will tell you about Ribera del Duero. Information we found at www.riberadelduero.es. The website of the wines in Ribera del Duero.

History of the region

With over 2,500 years of wine-making. Remains of winemaking found at the Vacceo site of Pintia and the Roman mosaic of Baños de Valdearados are testament to the region's long affilliation with viticulture. A deep respect for the terroir has been born from this legacy, which combines an extreme and changing climate with a diverse and complex geology. 

Wine residues were found in the Vacceo site of Pintia, in the district of Padilla de Duero, confirming that the first wine was consumed in the Ribera del Duero region over 2,500 years ago.

During the 1972 grape harvest, a 66 square metre Roman mosaic, considered to be the largest piece with Bacchic allegories in the Peninsula, was discovered in Baños de Valdearados, confirming that wine making has existed in this region for thousands of years.

In the 13th century, the first wineries were excavated inside some houses. Wine and vineyards became a fundamental part of the cultural and economic development of the Ribera region; so much so, that production increased, local trade intensified and exports to the rest of Castile began. In the 15th century, the Ordinances of Castile were created, which established measures relating to the control of production, trade and other fiscal measures.

The Appellation, as we know it today, arose from the initiative of a series of winegrowers and winemakers concerned with promoting the vineyards and the quality of Ribera del Duero wines.

The first Act recorded in the Regulatory Board's books dates from 23 July 1980, when the Regulatory Board was acting on a provisional basis. Two years later, on 21 July 1982, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food granted Ribera del Duero the status of D.O. and approved its first Regulations. Since then, the implementation of new cultivation practices, modern wine-making technologies and rigorous testing processes applied by the Regulatory Board have made Ribera del Duero synonymous with quality.

The climate

The unique climatic conditions that characterise the cultivation of the vines in Ribera del Duero greatly influence the growing cycle of the vines, playing a fundamental role both in the development of the plant and the ripening of the grapes. The quality of the resulting wines depends to a large extent on these exceptional conditions.

 

The region benefits from a Mediterranean climate, with a continental influence and an extreme nature; it boasts dry summers, long and harsh winters, low rainfall (<400 mm/year average) and a large difference in temperatures throughout the year (from -20° to 42°). This results in grapes of an extraordinary quality - small in size, with thick skins that have benefitted from an optimal slow and late ripening period.

Soils

Altitudes of between 720 and 1,000 metres, nature and the passing of time have created soils with exceptional characteristics (made up of layers of silty or clay sands, with alternating layers of limestone and calcareous concretions), on which the vines take root, conceived to offer the best fruit.

 

The river basin, formed during the Miocene era, has horizontal, gently undulating levels that are limited by differential erosion. Today these have formed a peneplain.

The vineayard area of Ribera del Duero is located in the great northern sub-plateau of the Iberian Peninsula, a great ancient plinth that has been levelled and partly covered by tertiary sediments. The three main soil typologies in Ribera del Duero are:

Clay: Formed by fine reddish-brown grains that retain water, these soils provide structure and character.

Limestone: Rich in calcareous salts which are white in colour, these dry and arid limestone soils bring elegance and complexity.

Stony: Rocks of all sizes, with no water retention.

These soils bring maturity and sweetness.

Altitude

Altitudes between 720 and 1,000 metres have given Ribera del Duero a truly unique, natural landscape. Unexpected and extreme climatic contrasts.

The Ribera del Duero region is located in the northern sub-plateau (Duero River Valley) of the Central Plateau between Madrid and the Central System, and the Cantabrian Mountains and Montes de Leon. Unfolding over 115 kilometres along the banks of the Duero River, its vineyards lie at some of the highest altitudes in the northern hemisphere, exceeding 1,000 metres above sea level in some areas. The wines produced here are as unique and inimitable as nature itself.

Across the region 7,894 winegrowers work with dedication and respect for the land, which comprises 23,353 hectares of vineyards and 300 wineries, distributed across 118 boroughs (64 in Burgos, 5 in Segovia, 25 in Soria and 24 in Valladolid)."

Vineyards

There are 26,123 hectares of vineyards throughout the Ribera del Duero region. These are divided into 63,630 plots where our growers work with commitment, passion and dedication 365 days a year, intentionally obtaining low and carefully nurtured yields.

 

Around 8,000 winegrowers in Ribera del Duero intensively prune and thin the vines to achieve low yields in order to obtain excellent quality grapes. Because less is more, over the last ten years there is produced an average of 4,320 kilos of grapes per hectare, far below the 7,000 kilos permitted by our regulations.

 

Finally, the grape harvest. This is predominantly carried out by hand in Ribera del Duero (72.2% of the grapes are hand-harvested), as wineries and winegrowers prioritise the quality of the grapes over quantity. 8.2% of the vineyards were planted before 1940 and are therefore over 80 years old. Indeed, many of the vines were planted at the beginning of the last century.

 

Although harvesting by hand slows down the process and makes it more expensive, it allows for a better selection of the bunches and ensures that the grapes enter the winery in an optimal state, without bruises or splitting.

Grape varieties

Also known in the region as Tinta del País or Tinto Fino, the Tempranillo grape is the main variety and gives the red wines of Ribera del Duero their characteristic colour, aroma and body. Other varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha Tinta are also grown, though in lesser quantities. The main authorised white grape variety is Albillo Mayor.

Intense cold spells delay the budding of the vines. The dramatic changes in temperature between day and night at the end of the summer create a perfect balance in the fruit during ripening. In autumn, grapes of a magnificent quality are harvested.

The maximum permitted production per hectare is 7,000 kilograms and grapes from plots whose yields exceed this authorised limit cannot be used to make wines protected by the Ribera del Duero appellation seal.

Tempranillo

Exceptional adaptation. Closed petiolar sinus, hairy-scratchy underside. Bunches are compact, double-shouldered and medium-sized. The Tempranillo grape produces wines with an intense purple colour. Aromas of blackberry, combined with black forest fruits. Structured to sweet tannin in over-ripening, medium acidity.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Good adaptation. Petiolar sinus open in a U-shape, underside not very hairy-scratchy. Small, compact bunches with small, spherical berries. Late budding. It produces wines of high acidity, with aromas of green pepper that develop into black fruit on over-ripening. High levels of tannin.

Merlot

Medium adaptation, difficult fruit set, low production. Medium-sized leaves with an open petiolar sinus, scratchy underside and a blunt petiole. Medium, loose bunches of semi blue-coloured berries. Late ripening. Medium acidity, with aromas of black fruit combined with hints of dried fruits and nuts. Medium tannin.

Malbec

Medium adaptation, low production. Very large orbicular leaves, with a tangent-edged petiolar sinus and a scratchy, balled underside. Medium, loose bunches with reddish peduncles and pedicels and small berries. Late budding. A wine of high acidity, with aromas of black fruit combined with hints of menthol and balsamic notes. Medium tannin.

Garnacha

Very good adaptation, high production, low grade. Large orbicular-cuneiform leaves with petiolar sinus often open in a V shape. Green nerves and petioles, medium-sized, compact and very late-ripening bunches. Aromatic wines dominated by ripe strawberry, with pale colour and medium acidity. Medium tannin. High oxidative potential.

Albillo

Very good adaptation, early ripening, medium production, medium grade as a white variety. Upright growth, brownish-yellow skin colour. Coriform leaves with petiolar sinus often open in a U-shape. The underside is scratchy, with hairy nerves and a glabrous petiole. Medium, loose bunches with very thin-skinned golden berries. Aromatic wines dominated by pip and stone fruits, apple and peach, with a very subtle colour, between pale straw yellow and pale steely yellow. Medium acidity."

The wines

More than 300 wineries with their 2,225 brands bear the Ribera del Duero appellation seal.

The wines are grouped into three categories: reds, ranging from young fruit forward wines with a good palate, to elegant aged-wines (Crianzas, Reservas and Gran Reservas) which stand out for their aromatic complexity, power and balance on the palate, fruity and refreshing rosés, and young, fresh and fruity white wines with good acidity and more complex aromas, due to ageing in both barrel and bottle.

Red Wines

The red wines must contain a minimum of 95% of authorised red grape varieties. The proportion of Tempranillo, Tinto Fino or Tinta del País in these wines must not be less than 75%.

 

Young red wines

(without ageing or with ageing and/or fermentation in barrels for less than three months)

 APPEARANCE: Clear, with at least medium colour intensity and shades ranging from purplish red to a violet red.

NOSE: Presence of fresh red and/or black fruit aromas of medium intensity.

PALATE: Balanced and fresh as a result of the acid content, and medium to low body. Short finish at least.

Young oak-aged red wines

(with ageing and/or fermentation in barrels for more than three months)

APPEARANCE: Clear, with at least medium colour intensity and shades ranging from purplish red to violet red.

NOSE: Aromas of fresh red and/or black fruits together with aromas from oak ageing.

PALATE: Balanced and fresh as a result of the acid content, medium bodied at least. Short finish at least.

Crianza red wines

APPEARANCE: Clear, with at least medium colour intensity and shades ranging from garnet red to purple red. Absence of carbon dioxide.

NOSE: Aromas of fresh and/or stewed red and/or black fruits, together with aromas from oak ageing, at least at a medium intensity.

PALATE: Balanced, with sufficient acid freshness, medium to full body and medium to long finish.

Reserva and Gran Reserva Red wines

APPEARANCE: Clear or slightly cloudy, with at least medium colour intensity and shades ranging from russet red to purple red. Absence of carbon dioxide.

NOSE: Aromas from oak ageing at a medium intensity level, with a possible presence of stewed fruit and an absence of fresh fruit.

PALATE: Balanced, with sufficient acidity, medium to full-body and a medium to long finish.

Rosé wines

The rosé wines are made from a minimum of 50% of the authorised red grape varieties.

Wines with 36 months of ageing between barrel and bottle, with a minimum of 12 months in a barrel. They arrive on the market at the very beginning of October, three years after the harvest.

APPEARANCE: Strawberry pink in colour, with outstanding redcurrant pink nuances and a faint violet iridescence in a thin layer.

NOSE: Fruity aromas with characteristic hints of wild berries and ripe fruit, typical of the Tempranillo and Albillo varieties.

PALATE: Fruity and fresh, showing an attractive and typical acidity.

White wines

The white wines are made with at least 75% of the Albillo Mayor variety.

White wines without ageing or fermentation in barrels.

APPEARANCE: Clear, straw yellow to pale yellow in colour.

NOSE: Presence of aromas of ""other fruits"". May have plant-based notes.

PALATE: Balanced and fresh with medium to high acidity and low to medium body.

Image

White wines with fermentation and/or ageing in barrels.

APPEARANCE: Clear, straw yellow to golden yellow in colour. For wines bearing the traditional Crianza, Reserva or Gran Reserva references, the old golden yellow colour is permitted.

NOSE: Presence of aromas of fresh or stewed ""other fruits” with the presence of aromas from oak ageing. In the case of Reservas and Grand Reservas, the presence of fruit is not necessary.

PALATE: Balanced and fresh with medium to high acidity and low to medium body.

Back labels

Every bottle of Ribera del Duero is unique, providing an inimitable wine that has passed rigorous inspections before reaching consumers. Assesment of vineyard gauging, of the origin and quality of the grapes received, of all wine movements and physical-chemical and organoleptic testing of the wine before it finally reaches the market.

The Regulatory Board of the Ribera del Duero D.O. guarantees the authenticity and quality of the protected wines with its seal and a numbered back label. These marks are the safest and most reliable way of guaranteeing their production and marketing.

Unique and unforgettable. Each back label of the Ribera del Duero Denomination of Origin provides a series of security measures that make it practically impossible for the wine to be reproduced illegally.

There are four back labels differentiated by a colour code for each type of ageing.

RATING OF VINTAGES

The Regulatory Board of the Ribera del Duero D.O. is responsible for ensuring the excellence of Ribera del Duero wines. Each year, it carries out a vintage rating to determine the quality of the wines from our Appellation.

For this purpose, each season has an Exceptional Vintage Rating Committee made up of some of the best sommeliers in Spain, which carries out a blind tasting of several representative wines of the vintage and rates the vintage as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair or Poor. For when you want to buy a wine from Ribera del Duero these ratings are interesting.

Year

Rating

2019 Excellent

2018 Very good

2017 Very good

2016 Very good

2015 Excellent

2014 Very good

2013 Good

2012 Very good

2011 Excellent

2010 Excellent

2009 Excellent

2008 Very good

2007 Very good

2006 Good

2005 Very good

2004 Excellent

2003 Very good

2002 Very good

2001 Excellent

2000 Very good

1999 Excellent

1998 Very good

1997 Good

1996 Excellent

1995 Excellent

1994 Very good

1993 Fair

1992 Good

1991 Very good

1990 Good

1989 Excellent

1988 Good

1987 Good

1986 Excellent

1985 Very good

1984 Fair

1983 Very good

1982 Very good

After telling you about facts, numbers and theory of Ribera del Duero i will tell you about my trip to and in Ribera del Duero. This theory can be boring but now it starts getting to be more interesting.

After spending a day and night in Saint Emilion and Pomerol (we will have a blog about that trip) we drove from Bordeaux to Ribera del Duero. That sounds far but with it was a drive of 6 hours. The road to Ribera del Duero is good. From the center of Madrid it is only 2 hours drive.  From San Sebastián it is 3,5 hour drive and Bilbao is 2:45 hour drive. So no reason not to go to Ribera del Duero.

Because of our car trip from Utrecht (The Netherlands) to Malaga we didn’t want to spent a lot of time on one place. With planning our trip we had to be efficient.

We like it to read a lot before i go somewhere. I always have a plan. I new that the best wine bodegas are on the so called Golden Mile. The most famous area of the wines from Ribera del Duero. I had to see that with my own eyes. How are the bodegas and how is the area. Is it beautiful there and can i visit a bodega with a wine tasting. Because of my wishes i had to find an hotel close to the Golden Mile. But are there nice hotels in that area? Are the hotels expensive? Is it a nice place to visit? Can you see other things then wine? 

It needed some investigation but i found exactly the place to sleep and the starting point from where you are able to know a part of Ribera del Duero. 

Because of my instagram account www.instagram.com/bodegas_malaga where i post a lot about wine in Spain and other beautiful places, my education in wine and my wine hobby i follow also a lot of bodegas. I also watch in supermarkets and wineshops at wines and bottles. That’s why i know what are the famous and big Bodegas.

I am 25 years a real estate agent and that is also that i love architecture. The combination of wine and architecture is for me the best. In Rioja there are important bodegas with fantastic architecture but in Ribera del Duero you have the same. And there started my Ribera del Duero adventure.

I knew it was impossible to see everything i wanted. On the roadmap i saw that we didn’t drive by some famous bodegas that where on my list but the navigation in my car was thinking something else. I was not driving and watching my telephone. 

Suddenly my wife who was driving said: Look there is a bodega. She didn’t know the bodega (she is so sweet to follow me in my wine hobby 😂) And a few meters on the highway further there was a big sign: Next exit Portia. 

Portia was on my list. That was a surprise and a present to be able to visit the bodega. The wine is very famous and you can buy it at a lot of places in Spain. I tried some wine but they have a lot to choose from. I tell later about that. 

The architecture of the bodega is very famous. Here you see a picture (off course not taken by us but from the website of the architect).

When you drive through the gate of the entrance you see the big building. I was thinking it looked like a spaceship.

This is what the idea from the architect is about the building: “ The project presented the opportunity to look afresh at the winery as a building type, using the topography of the site to aid the winemaking process, and to create the optimum working conditions, while reducing the building's energy demands and its impact on the landscape.

The building's trefoil plan expresses the three main stages of production: fermentation in steel vats; ageing in oak barrels; and maturation in bottles; at its core is an operations hub, from which all stages of the production process can be controlled. After harvesting, the grapes are delivered to the winery via a road that rises on to the roof, where they are dropped directly into the hopper. Gravity then helps to move the harvest around the building, maximising energy efficiency and minimising damage to the grapes. The fermentation wing is exposed to the outside, allowing carbon dioxide to escape naturally. The wings containing the barrel and bottle cellars are partly dug into the sloping site. Embedding the building in this way helps to create the most favourable conditions for the ageing process and is an essential part of a passive environmental strategy, which allows the building to exploit the thermal properties of the earth, in conjunction with the thermal mass of the concrete structure to regulate the internal climate. The roof canopy shades the glazed atria and exposed vats and incorporates photovoltaics. The structure is clad in Corten steel shingles, whose colour complements the natural tones of the vineyards.

Reflecting the growth in wine tourism and its importance to the industry, a raised public gallery at the heart of the winery extends into glazed mezzanine areas, allowing visitors to see the different stages of production. Between the wings, reception areas with terraces and water pools overlook the vineyards. Lined with slats from recycled wine barrels, the public areas evoke the rich tradition of winemaking in the region”.

The architect is very famous. A lot of we know are from Foster & Partners. With this link you see some projects: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/know-your-architects/a274-25-projects-by-norman-foster-that-made-him-a-leader-in-the-architecture-industry/

The website of the architect:

https://www.fosterandpartners.com/projects/faustino-winery

Do you know Bodega Portia? It belongs to the Familia Martinez Zabala. They have 2.200 hectares of vineyards. In Rioja they are the biggest vineyard owners. 

They not only own Bodegas Portia but also: 

Bodegas Faustino

Bodegas Campillo

Bodegas Valcarlos

Bodegas Marques de Vitoria

Bodegas Leganza

On the wine etiquette you can see the building.

We parked our car and walked to the impressive entrance to the building. An nice hostess asked us if she could help us. Our visit wasn’t planned and we didn’t have time for an tour and tasting but it is possible to walk in the building. Downstairs there is an fantastic shop and tasting tables. I had to buy bottle of wines. Kind of an candystore 😂 . At the first floor you can have a drink or lunch in the restaurant, have a glance at the cellar and see a nice red art sculptuur. Funny was it that we pushed a door, it opened, the door closed behind us and we where standing in the office of probably the CEO. It was a place that is not for public. We got nervous because we couldn’t open the locked door. Just before we wanted to call the reception we found a small button that opened the door: FREE 😂 With an elevator you can reach the topfloor. We view can be beautiful there but when we were there is was raining, was clouded and there was a lot of lightnings. After the spontaneous visit we left the bodega. Good that i could see it. When you have time take an tour and tasting.

Time to drive further!

Like i already told was the weather very bad. During our ride suddenly it started to rain a lot but that was not the only thing. A lot of hailstones fell out the sky. We couldn’t drive further. About 10 cm at least there was ice on the street. You can see what i did when this happened. I don’t think it is good for the grapes in these weather conditions. The vines already burst and started to flowering. When this happened it was Sunday 19th May! We drove further!

When is was planning my trip i googled: wine architecture. Like i told before: my hobby in combination with my work/interest. When you google wine architecture  in Ribera del Duero you see directly the architecture of Bodega Portia but als another building on your screen. 

This building accommodates the Regulatory Board of the Ribera del Duero D.O. (in Spanish: El consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Ribera del Duero. What are they? Since its foundation in 1982, the main function of the council is to endorse the authenticity of the wines of the Designation of Origin, assuring the consumer that each bottle that carries a numbered back label has passed rigorous controls before reaching their glasses. Ensuring the authenticity of Ribera del Duero wines with the seal is the final phase of the quality control tasks they carried out and which begins by monitoring the maximum regulatory production allowed in the area: 7.000 kg of grapes per hectare for all varieties, except for the Albillo Mayor variety, which is 9.500 kg of grapes per hectare.   

The work continues in the production of wines, ensuring; the correct use of authorized grape varieties, compliance with the different aging periods and that the wines pass a qualification process before reaching the market with the seal of the D.O. In addition, we develop intense marketing activity and collaborate and investigate with public and private entities for the qualitative improvement of the vineyards and wines of the D.O. Ribera del Duero.

I knew we would drive by the building on our way to the hotel. I had to watch it with my own eyes because it is an icon of architecture in Ribera del Duero. Is it in the small place Roa de Duero (Burgos) on the C/ Hospital, 6 - 09300. 

Roa is on top of a hill which dominates the Duero River Valley. For 2,500 years this place has witnessed many different civilisations whose inhabitants have settled there. There was the splendorous Celtiberian past and, later, the Roman occupation – the ancient “Rauda” – which was on the Roman road connecting Clunia and Astorga. Today Roa, with 2,500 inhabitants, is considered to be the Heart of the Duero River Valley, where wine has become the basis of the cultural and economic development in the area. More information about Roa you see when you press the link:

https://www.rutadelvinoriberadelduero.es/en/poblacion-ribera-del-duero/roa-duero

In Roa there are also some Bodegas but we didn't have time to visit them and because it was a sunday and a holiday (pentecost) a lot was closed. We went with the car through the narrow roads to the building but unfortunately it was also closed. It was possible to take pictures from the outside. The location is fantastic when you stand there. What a view over Ribera del Duero. Even with rain and a lot of clouds. 

The architects of the building are Barozzi Veiga. Here you can see the website of the architect about the building in Roa: https://barozziveiga.com/projects/headquarters-ribera-del-duero with more pictures. 

What does the architect say about the building: 

"The fundamental attribute of the design resides in the boundary area where the building is set, next to the old walls of Roa de Duero and on the edge of the town, between artifice and nature, between the urban fabric and the landscape. The building, which accommodates the Regulatory Council for Ribera del Duero wines, contains offices, reception areas and a small auditorium. All of these spaces form a construction that fundamentally revolves around the notion of public space.
With regard to the town, the design is attentive and works on a small scale, suturing and recomposing the urban tissue by modelling volumes whose premise is to construct a public square. With regard to the landscape, there is a shift in scale and attitude, represented by the tower. This archetypical architectural element, which is linked to the local historical memory, establishes a relationship with the Castilian plateau. The building’s identity is established based on its relationship with the landscape, although it also partly stems from a void capable of becoming a reference for the place. Blocks of local stone materialize this design in Roa, presenting it as a massive element of gravity. This reinforces the idea of a building which, far from having a limited lifespan, has been constructed with a material that mutates and changes with the passing of time. The relationship between the building and the historical traces of the place reveals a reality that explains the specificity of the context and enhances its value. Thus a new reality is the outcome of improbable and unexpected factors. "

Great to see the building, the town and the surroundings but we had to go further. 

But driving to our hotel we saw again a beautiful Bodega. What bodega would that be?

In our Blog part 2 we tell you everything about our next wine adventures in Ribera del Duero.

Hope you will read it and follow us on our socials.