Ribera del Duero Wine

Producer Notes

Bodegas Cepa 21 is celebrated worldwide for crafting wines true to the Ribera del Duero terroir and its most famous grape, Tempranillo — locally known as Tinta del País. Winemaker José Moro stamps his wines with knowledge from generations of winemaking history in the region. Fresh and enticing red fruit aromas burst from the glass: wild strawberries and raspberries combine with earthy undertones, leading to a medium-bodied experience with notes of baking spices — cinnamon and cloves. Crisp, lively, and with superb drink-now quality.

Expert Reviews — Vintage 2021

• Wine Enthusiast 93 pts | Deep ruby-colored with a nose of raspberry jam, cocoa butter, and herbes de Provence. Bright at first sip with raspberry, red currant, toffee, milk chocolate, and aniseed flavors. Vivid acidity and luxurious tannins stroll hand in hand to a satisfying finish.

Food Pairings

• Grilled lamb chops or roasted suckling pig
• Beef tenderloin or slow-braised short ribs
• Aged Manchego or Iberian charcuterie
• Mushroom-based dishes or hearty stews

Bodegas Antídoto Ribera del Duero 2024 | Tempranillo | Soria, Spain | 750ml

Antídoto comes from the far eastern reaches of Ribera del Duero — the Soria province, a wilder, less-traveled corner of the appellation where the rules are looser and the vineyards are older. Bertrand Sourdais and David Hernando work with up to 400 different parcels of old, ungrafted Tempranillo (Tinto Fino) vines rooted in a patchwork of limestone, decomposed granite, and clay. The project is biodynamic and organic in spirit, with spontaneous fermentation, no fining, no filtering, and minimal intervention throughout.

The 2024 vintage is a more delicate, fine-boned expression than prior years — fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts, then aged nine months in 600-liter French oak barrels (25% new). The result is juicy and full-bodied but balanced: black cherry, plum skins, dried herbs, and a kiss of vanilla spice, with firm, chewy tannins and a pristine finish. Very primary now — worth a year or two of patience, but already compelling.

Critical Acclaim - Vintage 2024:

• Wine Advocate: 91–92 pts — "Juicy and full-bodied but balanced... soft vinification... fine-boned. Very primary, with some toasted notes that suggest waiting a bit more."
• James Suckling: 91 pts — "Fresh and pure... full of black cherries, plum skins and some dried herbs. Tannins are firm and nicely chewy with medium to full body and a pristine finish."
• Tim Atkin: 91 pts — "A comparatively forward, easy-drinking style with some subtle reduction, plum, raspberry and black cherry fruit and a kiss of vanilla spice."

• Appellation: Ribera del Duero, Soria, Spain
• Grape: 100% Tempranillo (Tinto Fino)
• Vintage: 2024
• Farming: Biodynamic & organic
• Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation, no fining, no filtering
• Aging: 9 months in 600L French oak (25% new)
• Best With: Roast lamb, Ibérico, aged Manchego, grilled mushrooms, braised short rib

Bodegas Valduero Tierra Alta en 2 Cotas Reserva — Ribera del Duero 2017

Bodegas Valduero is one of Ribera del Duero’s founding estates — established in 1984 by Gregorio García Álvarez in the small Burgos town of Gumiel del Mercado, making it one of the very first wineries in the appellation. Today, alongside his daughters Yolanda and Carolina, the family cultivates 200 hectares of Tempranillo at the foot of a mountain, aging their wines in an authentic cave over 30 metres deep that houses more than 4,000 oak barrels and a million bottles. The Tierra Alta en 2 Cotas Reserva is their most terroir-driven expression: sourced from 50-year-old bush-trained vines planted at 830 metres altitude on clay-calcareous soils, with production naturally limited to 3,500 kg/ha. Harvested by hand into 14kg boxes, fermented in stainless steel, then aged 30 months in oak barrels of three different origins, followed by 18 months of bottle aging before release. 

Deep ruby in color. The nose is classic and expressive: dark fruit, cedar, warm spice, and a subtle earthiness from the high-altitude clay-calcareous soils. On the palate, it is fine and elegant, with well-balanced fruit and oak, firm but refined tannins, and a long, complex finish that speaks clearly of its terroir. A classic Ribera del Duero of real depth and character.

• Producer: Bodegas Valduero, Gumiel del Mercado, Ribera del Duero, Spain (est. 1984)
• Vintage: 2017
• Appellation: Ribera del Duero DO — Reserva
• Varietal: 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) — 50+ year-old bush vines, 830m altitude
• Soils: Clay-calcareous, Gumiel del Mercado
• Aging: 30 months in oak (3 origins) + 18 months bottle aging
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: Dark fruit, cedar, warm spice, earthy depth, refined tannins, long complex finish
• Best Paired With: Roast lamb, suckling pig, beef stews, aged Manchego, hearty game dishes

A founding-estate Ribera del Duero Reserva from 50-year-old vines at an honest price — Valduero Dos Cotas is the benchmark for what high-altitude Tempranillo can be.

Winemaker Description

Flores de Callejo is the youngest wine from Bodegas Félix Callejo in Sotillo de la Ribera (Burgos). It is made from Tempranillo grapes grown on clay-loam soils. Flores de Callejo is the result of a quest for fruitiness and freshness, an effort that is well represented in this cheerful and vibrant red wine, designed for immediate consumption.

The exceptional quality of the grapes and the high concentration of aromas due to low yields and the resulting small berries make this vintage one of the best from this winery. Flores de Callejo is an ideal wine to pair with vegetables, fresh pasta, and soups.

Expert Reviews - 2022 Release 

James Suckling writes 99 Points | Sweet-berry, walnut, licorice and violet aromas that follow through to a full body with round, chewy tannins that are polished and beautiful. Notes of iron, too. The tannins are broad and mouth filling, giving a caressing and exciting texture on the palate. If you give this a year to two to soften, it will deliver even greater richness and flavor. A blend of 2008, 2010 and 2011. Great after 2023.

Luis Gutiérrez of the The Wine Advocate writes 98 Points | The NV Único Reserva Especial 2022 Release is a blend of wines from 2008, 2010 and 2011, mostly Tinto Fino with some Cabernet Sauvignon mixing lots from the Único wines from those years. In the past, the blend was older vintages, but now it's wines that are around the same age as the Único. It has the complexity of mixing terroirs, vintages and grapes with parameters very similar to Único, 14.5% alcohol and good balance with a pH of 3.83 and 5.4 grams of acidity (measured in tartaric acid per liter). In the blend, they look for keeping the style of past blends, combining the more aged notes of the older wines and the freshness of the younger ones. I was very pleasantly surprised by the performance of this Reserva Especial, which seems to be going back to the character of the blends from yesteryear, with more finesse, elegance and nuance. This is perfumed, elegant, harmonious and balanced. It has very fine, already polished tannins and integrated acidity. 2008 and 2010 are cooler years, and they seem to give the blend this freshness and elegance. It has all the components, and especially the balance between all of them, to age nicely in bottle. 16,961 bottles and 201 magnums were filled in June 2018.

Winemaker Description 

Unico Reserva Especial bears witness to the past, it pays homage to the history of Spanish wine and their traditions. A non-vintage wine combining the balance between the best vintages and harvests, it faithfully reflects the magic of a legendary land. Unico Reserva Especial 2022 is a blend of the 2008, 2010, and 2011 vintages and a blend of 95 % Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) and 5 % Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is suitable for drinking now, but it can be aged for up to 40-60 years, if stored in the ideal conditions. It offers an infinite complexity that is gradually revealed, in every sip, the palate immensely silky and elegant. A true work of art!

Winemaker Description

Cherry red color with garnet rims. On the nose it is elegant, clean and expressive, with a complexity typical of a wine made with an excellent quality grape and a very careful production process. In the mouth it is sweet, with good body and great balance, presenting a long and pleasant aftertaste.

The alma mater of the winery, a wine with imprint, plant, and lordship. A completely varietal red, mature, with a growing personality and a lot of elegance.

The soils of the Cepa 21 vineyards are the result of the evolution of millions of years. In them grow our vines that define who we are, learning from the passage of time, a deep love for our land, the care with which we work the fields and the history that precedes us. The Strain is much more than a part of our name, it is the basis of all our machinery, what moves us to be better every day, the greatest asset of our wineries, the origin, and the end.