Spanish Ribera del Duero and Rueda Wines

This advertorial is brought to you in partnership with D.O. Ribera del Duero and D.O. Rueda

The flag of Castilla y León is home to the most prestigious wine regions in Spain, with a river running through it, and, with that, the key to vibrant vineyards and the stunning wines that come from them. Ribera del Duero and Rueda were bestowed the prestigious Denominación de Origen (D.O.) status in the 1980s.

Ribera del Duero wines underscore the purest expression of Tempranillo, Spain’s most well-known grape – big, bold and textured, but with plenty of rich, Old World sensibility. The region is home to some of Spain’s most sought-after and applauded wines. The wineries are conquering the palates of international consumers and increasing their position in international markets. The Ribera del Duero Control Board has taken stock of last year’s exports, which grew by 20.1 per cent in volume compared to 2020 – a very satisfactory balance considering the pandemic. Ribera del Duero is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

There are four classifications of D.O. Ribera del Duero wines:

Crianza: aged a minimum of two years, with one year in oak
Reserva: aged a minimum of three years, with at least one year in oak and the remaining time in the bottle
Gran Reserva: aged a minimum of five years, with at least two years in oak and the remaining time in the bottle
Cosecha: this is a bit of a catch-all and can mean everything from the youngest wine to the longest-aged, most sophisticated wine as long as it comes from Ribera del Duero and meets the standards set by the appellation

Ribera del Duero concluded the 2021 harvest with over 109 million kilos of grapes shaped by the pioneering self-monitoring system implemented officially in its 300+ wineries. The 2021 vintage will certainly deliver great, juicy, powerful and long-lived wines with unlimited ageing possibilities, following the two “excellent” vintages of 2019 and 2020.

At the same time, boasting outstanding natural resources for the production of high-quality wines, the Rueda Designation of Origin is renowned in Spain and worldwide as an area specialised in white wine. The Verdejo grape has been grown in the Rueda Designation of Origin for over 10 centuries. What makes it so special is the combination of its aroma and flavour, with hints of wild mountain herbs and fruits and refreshing acidity. These wines are very harmonious, and their finish makes you want to keep tasting more. Rueda achieved record sales in the international markets in 2021, selling over 14.3 million bottles and consolidating the excellent work done by the Rueda Control Board and its wineries through their international promotion campaigns.

Rueda ended the 2021 harvest with 124.5 million kilos of grapes approved for picking, and the indigenous Verdejo variety represents 87.05% of the total production of white grapes. The 2021 harvest promises very high-quality wines, following the “excellent” harvest of 2020.

Rueda white and rosé wines are divided into several categories:

Rueda: this wine is made with a minimum of 50% of the main white varieties (Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc)
Rueda Dorado and Rueda Pálido: liquor wines made from Palomino Fino and/or Verdejo
Rueda Espumoso: sparkling wine made from at least 75% of the main varieties (Verdejo/Sauvignon Blanc)
Gran Vino de Rueda: black label for the best wines made with grapes from vineyards that are over 30 years old, with a yield of less than 6,500kg per hectare and a processing ratio of 65%
Vino de Pueblo: wines that can indicate the municipality of the D.O. Rueda where the grapes originate, as long as the percentage of grapes from that town is equal to or greater than 85%

For the wine lover, the wines from Ribera del Duero and Rueda offer the perfect match with many Asian and Western cuisines. Their wineries are present in the most important Asian markets, with the bottles readily available to taste and enjoy.

Ribera del Duero and Rueda launched in 2022 at Hong Kong’s first Spanish wine pop-up store, Spanish Wine Passion, which made its debut at Fashion Walk in Causeway Bay in January and remained open for three months. The pop-up offered a variety of cultural experiences related to Spanish wines from these two outstanding regions. More than 100 Spanish wines were successfully showcased and sold at the pop-up, and over 60 wines from 19 wineries were brought directly from Spain, some to be sold at retail stores in Hong Kong for the first time.