The wines of la Ribera del Duero owe their quality to a set of climatic factors that are almost extreme. The climate is characterised by a very low average temperature and a significant contrast in temperature between day and night, this being particularly important during the grape ripening phase, producing grapes with hard, strong skins, the end result being the clearly recognisable wines full of colour, structure and pedigree.

However, the soils also play a decisive role in the quality of the wine. The vines grow on hillsides that normally face south to ensure that they receive the last rays from the sun and are protected from the cold northern winds. The sandy and rocky soils are able to regulate the humidity in order to feed the roots of the plant and retain heat so that it can be released at night.

To these factors we can add the Tempranillo grape, known in the area as “Tinta del país”, acclimatised to the harshness of the climate and capable of giving its best results here. And behind all of this are the men and women who day after day look after the vine stocks, who prune the vines and pick the grapes and who prepare and create some of the greatest wine in the world.

More information:
Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen Ribera del Duero (ie the Regulating Council of the Ribera del Duero Denomination of Origin)