Ribera y Rueda, composed of the Spanish wine-producing regions of Ribera del Duero and Rueda, is celebrating more than 2,000 years of rich wine culture, providing visitors of unprecedented cultural experience, steeped in the majestic heritage and inspiring grandeur of Spain’s Castile and León.
Castile and León is a place rich in history, strength, grace, majesty, and grandeur. The unification of Spain was marked by the marriage and joint rule of Isabella I and Ferdinand, known as the Catholic Monarchs, in Valladolid, the capital of Spain at the time, located in the Castilla y Leon region. This marked the beginning of the most glorious era in Spain's history.
The Ribera del Duero and Rueda regions, which are both just 90 minutes from Spain's capital of Madrid, appear inhospitable at first glance. The rocky terrain and high altitudes have blisteringly hot summers and bitterly cold winters, but these regions also produce some of the finest grapes and wine in Spain.
Winemaking in these regions dates back more than 2,000 years ago, with the discovery of a mosaic of Bacchus, the Roman god of agriculture, wine, and fertility, in the town of Baños de Valdearados in Ribera del Duero. The Roman influence is strong in the regions, with the aqueduct of Segovia in Rueda being one of the best-preserved of these architectural marvels, which supplied running water to towns and farms during the time of the Roman Empire.
The regions are along one of the most-traveled land routes leading from Rome to Africa, as well as the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, a major pilgrimage route in the Middle Ages. Thus, Ribera del Duero and Rueda are part of a deep historical highway where knowledge and ideas were transferred, qualities that manifest in their exquisitely crafted wines.
Rueda: Spirit of the Lioness
Rueda’s signature product is Verdejo, Spain’s top-selling white wine and the next big thing in the world of white wines. The region was the first one in Spain to receive the designation of Denomination of Origin or DO for white wine in 1980. The DO is a government seal of approval mandating that a wine bearing the name Rueda Verdejo may only be made within this region. Verdejo is a sleek white wine that is described as graceful, majestic, and feminine, just like the region’s symbol, the lioness. Rueda is also the region with the most female winemakers – nearly two-thirds of the region's wineries are led by women – again embodying the spirit of the lioness.
Rueda Verdejo is made in three styles – joven or young, which is fresh and made for patio drinking; lees-aged, with textures and creaminess beginning to develop; and oak-rested, with full complexity and a style that is meant to age gracefully. Verdejo pairs well with cheeses such as brie, goat cheese, and Gruyére, as well as traditional white wine pairings of seafood and poultry. Visitors may not be aware of it, but Spanish conservas or tinned fish makes a wonderful pairing with Verdejo, especially the joven and lees-aged styles, with the wine’s acidity cutting the richness of the olive oil. Verdejo can also be enjoyed with Spanish picos, which are breadstick-like crackers, and thin slices of Jamon Serrano, prosciutto, and other cured meats.
Ribera del Duero: Land of the Castles
Ribera del Duero’s pride is the Tempranillo, also known as the ‘King of Grapes’, which is made into the most coveted red wine by collectors in Spain and all over the world. Locals call Tempranillo ‘Tinto Fino’ due to its differences from other regions in Spain. The vines have lower yields, due to extreme temperature shifts throughout the day and the high altitudes of between 2,300 to 3,600 feet. Over a third of the vines are more than 45 years old, with around 10% exceeding 80 years. This results in Tempranillo grapes that are smaller and have thicker skins, darker color, and higher acidity, resulting in more complex wines.
The region, which received its DO in 1982, has a landscape dotted with castles, whose cellars are perfect venues for aging wine, imparting a distinctive earthy flavor thanks to the natural aging environments. Ribera Tempranillo is typically made in four styles: Crianza, a structured red with muscular fruit flavors; Reserva, with great potential to develop complexity with age; Gran Reserva, which is richer, more elegant, luxurious and very complex; and Cosecha, the wild card of Tempranillo that can be traditional or modern.
As a medium- to full-bodied red, Ribera del Duero Tempranillo goes well with roasted baby lamb known as lechazo and suckling pig called cochinillo. Other traditional pairings are meat stews from Madrid, Valenciana paella, chorizo, and Catalan sausage.
For tourists and wine enthusiasts who are looking for something different from the traditional wine country tour, while embodying more than two millennia of history and culture in their rich wine tradition, Ribera del Duero and Rueda are some of the best destinations one can find. To share this wonderful experience with as many people as possible, Ribera y Rueda is giving travelers from the US a chance to win a free wine tour to Spain. The grand prize is a round trip for two, including both air and land transportation, five nights’ lodging, winery tours, and meals. The contest closes on Sunday, November 24th, 2024. Salud!
Media contact:
Name: Brady Lowe
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