Ribera del Duero

With its full-bodied, sometimes formidable reds, stylistic shifts are clearly working wonders for this northern region, with a high proportion of Outstandings and 90-plus point wines among a relatively small field

It was one of those days that ended with blackened teeth, beaten-up gums and tongues tied up with tannin. Welcome to Ribera del Duero! But rarely had any of us undertaken a panel tasting of such exceptionally high quality and consistency. The wines were representative of an appellation which now sits with ease alongside the other great winemaking regions of the world.

If you haven’t had a proper look at Ribera del Duero recently, now is the time to revisit this wonderful region of northern Spain. David Williams was both pleased and surprised by the overall freshness and balance of the wines: ‘Things have changed in the past five years.’

Stylistically there has been an important shift in the region to wines which better represent the vineyards, with less extraction and acidity, reflecting the elevation of Ribera [720m-1,100m, according to the Ribera consejo regulador]. This can be seen in the six Outstanding wines selected here (see right). As Diana Rollan went on to explain: ‘The younger generation is producing fresher wines.’

Great typicity, identity and character were on show in this tasting. The wines were bold with intense fruit, high but balanced acid, and evident but well-managed tannin. Many of the wines are born from very old vines – note Dominio de Atauta’s pre-phylloxera vineyards in Soria, at the eastern end of the region – while others are combining concrete vats and larger oak barrels to integrate oak in a more elegant manner. However, there is no denying that this is a region of power and intensity.

Rollan felt that ‘these are great wines, but challenging and not always approachable’. For those new to the region, it takes some time and knowledge to become comfortable with the style and premium prices. Williams lamented ‘it can be an expensive mistake’. Hopefully this selection helps to point out some key names to follow.

Among the top wines in the tasting are some names that have already made their mark in Spain but are not yet well known in this market. Marta Maté (see p110) is a rising star in Ribera del Duero, a dynamic winery that is worth wider appreciation. And among the highest scorers is Interpretación (p110), made by former Vega Sicilia winemaker Xavier Ausàs, who now has his own project focusing on some of the best parcels across the region.

The panel wasn’t too bothered by the high alcohol of the region, here largely in the range of 14.5%-15.5% – it is Ribera after all! But we recommend sticking mostly with the wines around 14%-14.5%. We struggled with some above this level – but maybe we’re not as capable of coping with it as we once were in our younger and more adventurous days.

While the ageing capacity of some of these wines is truly exceptional and provides a great opportunity for collectors, we loved the vibrancy and immediacy of some of the younger vintages. 2021 is a particularly excellent year whose quality is already clear and would be a great starting point for those looking to revisit the impressively expressive wines of one of the world’s great fine wine regions.

‘Great typicity, identity and character were on show in this tasting’ --------------------------- Beth Willard