Drink Ribera. Drink Spain Campaign Launch

We just got back from the Drink Riberia. Drink Spain launch set up by Gregory White PR to bring wines from the Ribera del Duero region of Spain into the limelight. The tasting was held at the Union Square Lounge in NYC.

The tasting was informal (which was quite welcome). Thirty Ribera wines were featured in a very smart fashion. Each sample of wine came with it’s own wine marker to make it easier for you to remember what was tasted. We had some really terrific stuff.

For those not quite familiar with Spanish wines (specially with Ribera Del Duero) here is a little more info on the region.  Ribera is located in the north area of Spain about an hour and forty five minutes drive from Madrid. Ribera is located along the Duero River bank (a.k.a. Ribera del Duero). It was designated a D.O. (or in layman’s terms a really good area for growing wines) in 1982; but people have been growing grape vines there for over 2,000 years. Wine geeks and lovers alike know the region for Vega Sicilia and it’s renowned Unico and Valbuena wines.

So what exactly makes this region so ideal for growing grapes? To start off, the wine making region is the highest in Europe at 2,800 feet above sea level. This results in a drastic change of temperatures from day to night (Diurnal Temperature) which yields high acid and a high sugar content. Basically this means that when the day’s sunlight hits the grapes they ripen quicker and the cold night time temperatures create a balance in the flavor and acid of the grapes. (Hope you’re not bored yet with the dorky stuff). This combined with the many minerals in the soil (clay, limestone and chalk) create the perfect nursery for these grapes to become mature.

As in most of Spain, Tempranillo is the Queen of all grapes in Spain. Temprano in spanish means early, and as you can assume, Tempranillo ripens quite early in the season. While this is the most popular grape in Spain, it is a bit different in Ribera Del Duero. In this area, the grapes are quite small (more flavor concentration), have thicker skins (encourages contact with skin – more tannins).

Now that you have the basics on what makes this such a great area for wine, here are some basic terms to make your Ribera shopping experience better. Just as in other areas of Spain, there are certain standards to separate one wine from the next:

Joven: (It means young – think of these as newborns) These wines are completely un-oaked. Think fruity, fresh and lively.

Joven Roble: (think of these as high schoolers) With at most 6 months of oak ageing, these are a little more complex. These are wines quite suitable for everyday drinking.

Crianza: For those familiar with Spanish, the verb Criar means to raise. These wines are like college students. They have 2 years of ageing and at least one year of sitting in oak barrels. This is where things start to get fun. Fruit, tannins and a great mouthfeel.

Reserva: Now we are getting serious. These guys haven’t yet made partner, but they are on their way. Three years of ageing, one year in oak. This is not the wine you chug. This is the wine you swish in your mouth as you enjoy the nuances of flavors.

Gran Reserva: Now these guys are serious. Most wineries will skip vintages (years) if the conditions were not perfect. These wines are aged for at least 60 months with 2 years in oak barrels. A wine like this can age and age. Stock up. We say buy a case and open one every year. Keep a notebook handy to see how it changes.

So now that you know everything you need to know about Ribera Del Duero (so that you can sound like you know some stuff at a dinner party) we can get down and dirty and tell you what we tasted.

Bodega Coop “Santa Ana” 2006 Aventino Roble

It was delicious when we tasted it. So this wine is made from 120 year old Tempranillo vines and we’re looking forward to drinking it again.

Bodegas y Vinedos Martin – 2006 Crianza

That unmistakable old world flavor of cocoa, toast and vanilla. A hearty mouth feel and tons of delicious red fruit.

Pagos del Rey 2006 Condado ede Oriza Crianza

If you like a meaty wine with nuances of black fruit and powdery tannins, this is most definitely the wine for you.

Bodegas Portia 2004 Portia Prima

We’ve had a love for Faustino wines for years and we were so pleased to taste their latest creation. Malolactic gives it hints of vanilla with a luscious mouth feel. Would love to have this with some lechon.

Bodegas Felix Callejo 2005 Seleccion de Vinedos De Familia

This wine shows all the love that was put into it. Hand picked berries and smaller yields result in a powerful yet gentle wine. This was our favorite of the bunch.

Bodegas Valduero 2004 Valduero Reserva

The ageing in this wine gives way to the character of Spain: tobbaco, wet forests, coffee and lovely sun dried fruit.