Ribera del Duero: high-altitude reds from the Castilian plateau
0 bottles, from joven to the big namesA dark, tight red, with surprising freshness for such a ripe wine: that is what Tempranillo, known here as Tinto Fino, gives on the Duero plateau. The vines grow between 750 and over 1,000 m above sea level, under scorching summers and cold nights.
The cellar reads in three tiers: table reds around €20, the big names (Vega Sicilia, Alión, Pingus) and, at the very top, the old vines of Soria signed Dominio de Es. The table of tiers puts each estate in its place.
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Back to homepageThree tiers, from weekday red to legendary wine
Here, the estate's name counts for more than the designation. This is how the cellar is divided, from the entry level to the old vines of Soria.
| Domain | Cuvées | Tier | Price per bottle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlight | Peña Roble Jovena young, fruity red, 2024 vintage | Entry level | €16.80, by the case of 6 |
| Valdrian | Crianza Tradiciónthen 24 Riserva and Quinq | Entry and mid-range | from €22 (by the case of 6) to €43 |
| Torres, Pago del Cielo | Celeste Crianzathen Celeste Reserva | Entry and mid-range | €24 and €39.90 |
| Dominio de Pingus | Psithen Flor de Pingus and Pingus | Big names | from €45 (by the lot of 3) to €1,400 |
| Tempos Vega Sicilia | Aliónthe house's pure Tempranillo | Big names | 122 € |
| Vega Sicily | Valbuenathen Único and Único Reserva Especial | Big names | from €224 to €679 |
| Dominio del Águila | Canta la Perdizold vines from La Aguilera, 2018 | Haute couture | 446 € |
| Dominion of Es | Viñas Viejas de Soriathen La Mata, Carravilla and La Diva | Haute couture | from €110 to €1,190 |
Prices are for a 75 cl bottle. The sales format is specified on each product page.
Joven, roble, crianza, reserva: what the designation tells you
The designation indicates the length of ageing, in barrel then in bottle, before release. It tells you about the style more than the quality.
| Please mention | Ageing | In the glass | Our example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joven | Little or no oak, released young | Crunchy black fruit, to drink within three years | Peña Roble Joven€16.80, by the case of 6 |
| Roble | A few months in barrel, a customary term | Fruit dominates, oak rounds it off | Peña Roble Jovena foot in each style |
| Crianza | Two years minimum, one of them in barrique | Ripe fruit, sweet spice, smooth tannins | Celeste Crianza24 € |
| Reserva | Three years minimum, one of them in barrique | Leather, cocoa, more candied fruit | Celeste Reserva39,90 € |
| Gran Reserva | Five years minimum, two of them in barrique | Tertiary bouquet, polished texture | Únicofrom €450 |
| Cuvée name only | Free, decided by the estate | The house style above all | Pingus1 400 € |
The great estates often show a cuvée name instead of a designation: Único, Alión or Pingus follow long ageing periods chosen by the house. Details by appellation can be found on our appellations page.
A bottle for every mood
Eight ways into the appellation, from the weekday case to the bottle for ageing.
A red for every day
A juicy, straightforward joven, centred on fruit, to open with a barbecue or tapas during the week.
Peña Roble Joven 2024, €16.80 a bottle, by the case of 6A crianza for the table
A high-altitude red from a hilltop winery in Fompedraza, with notes of black fruit and sweet spice, ready to drink now.
Pago del Cielo Celeste Crianza 2020, €24 a bottleFor a leg of lamb
A Tempranillo long aged in French barriques, blueberry, leather and cocoa, that stands up to roast meat.
Valdrinal 24 Riserva 2019, €35 a bottle, or €33 by the lot of 3Getting close to Pingus
Pingus's project with the growers of La Horra and Roa: old vines, a precise style, an affordable price.
Psi 2022, €45 a bottle, by the lot of 3A great red for ageing
The Vega Sicilia family's pure Tempranillo, powerful and clean, to forget in the cellar for a decade or so.
Alión 2021, €122 a bottleThe old vines of Soria
Very old vines around Atauta, at the eastern end of the appellation, for a deep, precise high-altitude red.
Dominio de Es Viñas Viejas de Soria 2021, €110 a bottleGive the legend
Spain's most famous wine, aged for around ten years before release, for a great occasion or a birth.
Vega Sicilia Único, from €450 a bottleCompare with Rioja
Same grape variety, different climate: the Tempranillo range puts Ribera, Rioja and their ageing designations side by side.
The Tempranillo range
Ribera from both ends
Our range holds at both ends. On one side, honest table reds, Resalte, Valdrinal, Torres's Celeste, which you open during the week with a grilled chop. On the other, the wines that built the appellation's reputation: Vega Sicilia since the 19th century, Pingus since 1995, and Dominio de Es, which seeks out very old, high-planted vines in the province of Soria.
In between, many Ribera wines are alike, oaky and powerful. We taste a lot of them and keep few. We would rather offer you a well-judged crianza at €22 a bottle, by the case of 6, and a Psi at €45, by the lot of 3, than a row of interchangeable wines.
Toro, the downstream neighbour
Going down the Duero to the west, you leave Ribera for Toro, lower and hotter. Tempranillo there takes the name Tinta de Toro and gives fleshier reds. The Vega Sicilia family founded Pintia there in the early 2000s: the same rigour as at Valbuena, a different climate. Further on, the river becomes the Douro and crosses the vineyards of Portugal.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What people ask us about Ribera del Duero
What is the best Ribera del Duero wine?
Three names always come up: Vega Sicilia Único, Pingus and, more recently, the single-site wines of Dominio de Es in Soria. For a first approach, Alión (€122) or Psi (€45 a bottle, by the lot of 3) give an accurate idea of the great houses' style at a gentler price. The table of tiers places each cuvée.
Ribera del Duero or Rioja: what's the difference?
Both are based on Tempranillo. Ribera, higher and more continental, gives darker, tighter reds with black fruit. Rioja, backed by the Sierra de Cantabria, leans more towards finesse and, in its tradition, long ageing in American oak. Compare on our Rioja page or the Tempranillo range.
Which grape variety is in a Ribera del Duero?
Tempranillo, known here as Tinto Fino or Tinta del País. The appellation requires it to dominate the blends. Some estates add a little Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, like Vega Sicilia for Único and Valbuena, or Grenache, like Pingus for Psi. Most of our cuvées are pure Tempranillo.
What do crianza and reserva mean on a Ribera del Duero?
They are minimum ageing periods. A crianza spends at least two years between barrel and bottle, one of them in barrique. A reserva, three years including one in barrique, a gran reserva five years including two in barrique. The second table on this page details each designation, with a bottle from the cellar as an example.
How much does a Vega Sicilia Único cost?
With us, Único is available from €450 a bottle for the 2015 and 2016 vintages, and at €600 for the 2014. Valbuena, the estate's second wine, is €224. To get close to the house style for less, Alión, from the same family, is €122.
What's the difference between Pingus, Flor de Pingus and Psi?
Pingus is the grand vin of the estate founded in 1995, made from very old vines around La Horra (€1,400). Flor de Pingus comes from younger plots in the same area (€140). Psi is a project run with neighbouring growers, at €45 a bottle, by the lot of 3.
How long can you keep a Ribera del Duero?
A joven is drunk within three years. A crianza is best between three and eight years after the harvest. The great wines, Alión, Valbuena, Único, Pingus, benefit from waiting ten years and often much longer. Store them lying down, somewhere cool and away from light, then decant them an hour before serving.