Ribera y Rueda

Harvest Tour Through the Heartland of Spain

Harvest season is one of the best times for vineyard tours and wine tastings. Join us as we go on a virtual adventure through the iconic sister regions of Ribera del Duero and Rueda! Hidden in the high plains of Castilla y León in Northern Spain, these regions have everything you want in wine: character, originality and centuries of pedigree. While the climate is almost inhospitable to human life, these harsh conditions are ideal for the regions’ indigenous grapes.

RUEDA

Rueda sits at half a mile above sea level, where the climate is extreme, with cold winters and blistering summers. Under these conditions, Verdejo flourishes - concentrating its flavor. Roots are forced to dig deep through the sandy, stony soil for water and nutrients, giving the wines a slight minerality, while huge temperature swings between day and night help maintain the balance between sugar and acidity in the Verdejo grape. The terroir is sandy in Rueda’s Segovia area, while the La Seca area is full of huge stones contributing to the character of the wines. Good for ventilation and drainage, the stony soil is rich in calcium, magnesium and other microelements that are essential for the correct development of the vine. Meanwhile, the sandy soils of Segovia house many of the region’s old-vine Verdejo plots. Rueda commonly conducts nighttime harvesting – a tradition of local winemakers that protects the fruit and preserves flavors and aromas.

Verdejo 101: As Spain’s #1 white wine grape, Verdejo is characterized by elegant tropical fruit with fragrant citrus notes. The wines are medium to full-bodied with lively acidity. They are delightfully refreshing whites with crispness that appeal to the Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc fan looking for a new and interesting alternative. Rueda Verdejo pairs best with shellfish, salads, flavorful sauces and buttery dishes or spicy and Asian food, but are extremely enjoyable on their own.

RIBERA DEL DUERO

Ribera del Duero’s semi-arid terrain, ample amounts of sunlight and extreme temperature swings from day to night create optimal ripening conditions for the Tempranillo grapes that define the character of Ribera del Duero wines. The soil in Ribera del Duero is made up of three elements: chalky, stony and clay soil, all of which contribute to the complexity and unique sense of place that Ribera del Duero wines embody. The chalky soil presents an elegance and complexity in the wine, stony soil produces maturity and sweetness and lastly, the clay provides structure and character. The local winemakers take nature’s challenges with a smile as they use the adversity to their advantage, utilizing local production techniques paired with centuries-old know-how to produce superb reds that are considered some of the great red wines of the world.

Tempranillo 101: Ribera wines underscore the purest expression of Tempranillo, Spain’s most well-known grape - bold and textured, but with plenty of rich, old-world sensibility. They are generally crafted to age, developing complexity over time, yet balancing acidity and generous fruit. Fruit-driven wines and those with restrained oak treatments are becoming increasingly available and display delicious characteristics of the Tempranillo varietal beautifully. Unequivocally food-friendly wines, the spices, dark fruit and smoky flavors of Ribera enhance anything off the grill, roasted meats and rich pastas.

Learn more about the iconic sister regions here and be sure to explore the wines of Ribera y Rueda with our 10% off code: RIBERARUEDA.