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SPAIN Getting to Know ith two great back-to-back vintages in 2009 and 2010, this is a great time to get to know the red wines of Ribera del Duero. Although Ribera is one of Spain’s most famous wine regions among connoisseurs, the general American consumer is just getting to know this area, located at the end of a pleasant two-hour drive north from Madrid. W This small region along the Duero River is just one quarter the size of the Rioja region, and though the wines of both Ribera del Duero and Rioja are Tempranillo- based, they are very different. Ribera’s wines are typically more extracted and fruit-driven than those of much larger Rioja. At the moment, Ribera’s 270 wineries export about 30% of their wines to the United States. And they are actively seeking more importers and distributors throughout the U.S. Independent analysts and tasters at Ribera del Duero’s Consejo Regulador de la Denominación de Origen (Regulatory Council for the Appellation of Origin) grade each vintage in one of four categories, and the past two—2009 and 2010—have topped out at “Excellent,” like the same vintages in Bordeaux. But unlike Bordeaux, these red wines are (for the most part) very affordable, with retail prices starting around $20 for wines that are aged for a minimum of two years, including one year in oak barrels. Ribera Of Oak and Age The amount of oak added here is astounding, but it’s a traditional practice that helps define Ribera. After touring the region in June, I began to wonder whether this region is one of the major supporters of the French barrel-mak- ing industry. But American oak barrels have also become part of the tradition here. Surprisingly, in this small district in the middle of Spain, most wineries age 20% or more of their wines in oak from the United States. This practice was established by Alejandro Fernández, the father of modern Ribera winemaking, who began producing his well-known Tinto Pesquera wines in 1972. Though his daughter Eva has now taken over winemaking duties at Pesquera, Alejandro is still very active in the area. This April, he opened Pesquera AF Hotel, a fun boutique hotel in the nearby town of Penafiel. As he tells THE TASTING PANEL: “I love my village and Ribera del Duero. I want people that come to 38 / the tasting panel / august 201 1 EXCELLENT BACK-TO-BACK VINTAGES PUT SPAIN’S RIBERA DEL DUERO REGION IN THE SPOTLIGHT story and photos by Becky Sue Epstein