DUERO RIVER VALLEY

Territory

Castilla y León is the political name of this area, but most of the greatest wines are from vineyards around the Duero River. Indeed, Spain’s most famed winery, Vega Sicilia, anchors the DO known as Ribera del Duero (meaning, the “banks of the River Duero”), fueled by the ubiquitous Tempranillo grape; Spain’s most planted red. The Duero River travels 460 miles, from high in the Sistema Ibérico, forming part of the border between Spain and Portugal and then emptying into the Atlantic at Oporto, the town that gives its name to the famous Portuguese fortified wine, Port.

Wines

The table wines produced along the banks of the Duero are nearly as intense as Port but are far more practical at the table. Roasted lamb and goat are amazing here, and the cold Atlantic seems far away in climate and cuisine. Though many of the vineyards have a gentle, round contour, they are at a high elevation, and climate-wise, the days are warm or even hot, whereas nights are cold. Ripening is slowed; the wines become rich and ripe but hang onto their dusty, astringent structure. As a classic rule, the less expensive wines give a great performance if enjoyed immediately, whereas the top wines (Vega Sicilia, Pingus, Pesquera and many others) can last decades. The expansion of vineyards in the region created names such as Sardón del Duero, Arribes, Arlanza, Cigales as well as other great wines that have garnered well-deserved attention. Rosés have been Cigales’ mainstay, but the Tempranillo grape has more to say, it would seem. Tempranillo shines even more brightly in Toro; if the name conjures up images of bulls (“Toro” in Spanish literary means “bull”), this region makes even more powerful wines. Subtlety is not Toro’s strong suit, but lovers of internationally styled wines are embracing this region’s charged reds. On the other side of the Duero River, the Rueda DO has claimed its own international spotlight with the Verdejo grape, offering up a well-appreciated white wine, occasionally blended with Sauvignon Blanc. It owns its unique citrusy flavors and pear texture, very pleasing on the pallet when paired with food.