N/Central Spain - Duero Valley - Ribera Del Duero

Answer 1

12th: arrival of Benedictine monks from Cluny and birth of modern viticulture dates in the region

• 1970-80s: tradition of cheap rosés overturned overall quality drive behind bodegas like Pesquera that started making wines as elegant as Rioja but more full bodied, concentrated & fruit driven. International renown followed

Answer 2

Flat, high altitude land around Cigales (700-850m). 3⁄4 of the vineyards are in the province of Burgos.

Best soils have high limestone content and large stones to aid drainage.

• Continental climate tempered by altitude -> high diurnal range.
• Relatively short growing season with hot summers (up to 40C) and harsh winters.• Low rainfall (450mm) and 2,400h of annual sunlight.

Answer 3

Reds (80% of production)

1. Tinta Fino aka Tempranillo – 95% of plantings
2. Clone of Tempranillo; native to the area
3. Premier native black grape w thick skin; ripens early i.e. several weeks earlier vs. most
4. Spanish red grapes (temprano: ‘early’)
5. Thrives in chalky soils & moderate climates for better acidity & elegance
6. • Wines are med->full bodied, low to med+ acidity, w med tannins and flavours of strawberry, cherry, raspberry & plum. Oak and ageing add flavours of herbs, mushrooms, leather & tobacco

Others: Garnacha, Cabernet Sauv, Merlot, Malbec

Answer 4

Whites

1. Albillo – 1%
   - Pale skinned grapes that produces full

bodied wines acidity

Answer 5

21,000ha – DO since 1982

More than 8,000 vine growers.

Key hazards: spring frost

Winemaking/Styles

Almost 100% Tempranillo (excl. Vega Sicilia) with most wines not aged as long as in Rioja for a deeper colour, high sweeter tannins and darker black fruit & plum flavours. Use of new French oak.

Vega Sicilia: aged for many years in cask, oak vat or concrete tank for wines w intense complexity & hi premium

Answer 6

73m btls/yr (vs. 29m btls in 2001). 250 bodegas including:

Vega Sicilia – 2.3m btls/yr

200ha-Spanish ‘first growth’ vineyard estate founded in 1864 now part of the Ribera del Duero DO.

• Current style defined in 1910s when winery was leased by a Rioja grower. Jump in quality after acquisition by Alvarez family in 82
• Vineyards on limestone soils w Tinto fino but also 20% of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Malbec and Albillo.
• Range: Valbuena – 5yrs in American oak; Unico - best vintages only & up to 10yrs in tanks & barrels
• Also invested in Toro -> Pintia winery (first vintage in 2001)

Pesquera

Founded by Alejandro Fernandez who is credited to have created the modern Ribera style when in 1972, angered by the cooperatives’ attitude towards grapes buying (the more colour, the higher the price) decided to create his own bodega. His quality wines quickly built a great reputation that became worldwide when Robert Parker called his wines ‘the Pétrus of Spain’.

100% Tinto fino wines aged in American oak. 850,000btls/yr from the 220ha estate.

• *Pingus**
• 5ha vineyard run by Bordeaux-trained Peter Sisseck; vineyards in the best terroirs of Ribera; wines matured in new oak only. Parker-acclaimed cult wine w only 7,000btls produced annually. Flor de pingus 2nd wine.