Region · Castile and León, Spain
Ribera del Duero
ree-BEH-rah del DWEH-ro
High, harsh, Tempranillo
Castile's plateau: short seasons, cold nights, and Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) that is darker and more forceful than most Rioja.
- black cherry
- cocoa
- licorice
- dust
- vanilla
Vega Sicilia made the reputation; a generation of ambitious bodegas followed. The wines can be oak-heavy and extracted. The ones that keep acid and a sense of altitude are grand steak wines.
Compare with Rioja: less American oak tradition, more French barrique, riper fruit. Neither is 'better.' They are different temperatures of Spain.
Roast lamb, chuletón, and hard cheese.
At the table
Service
61–64 °F (16–18 °C). Decant the young modern ones.
