Ribera del Duero
Region Ribera del Duero is one of the best wine regions of Spain.
Grapes from this region reach an amazing balance between ripeness and acidity. Soil in this region turned out to be extremely advantageous for producing high quality wines. A large number of families cultivating cabbage suddenly realised, that by a lucky twist of fate they have become heirs of a great fortune, as in the mid 80's it turned out that this region presented extremely favourable wine producing conditions.
The region covers ca. 13 536 hectares of vineyards, yielding over 250 000 hectolitres of wine. Wines are produced here mainly by family bodegas, collecting grapes from their own vineyards. Among 9 of the most important Denominacion de Origen (appellations) in this region, it is necessary to mention: Cigales, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Bierzo, Arlanza, Arribes, Tierras de León and Tierra del vino de Zamora. The three first ones are names known among wine connoisseurs all over the world and most highly contribute to popularity of Castillian wines.
The main types of grapes are: red – Tempranillo, which constitutes approximately 85% of crops, Garnacha, Albillo and the versatile Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. DO principles state that red Ribera del Duero must contain at least 75% of Tempranillo. The production of Rosado mainly utilises Garnacha Tinta grapes, known also as Tinto Aragonés. No white wines are produced in this appellation. When purchasing Ribera del Duero it is worth remembering that many Crianza class wines, from the technical perspective, are reserve wines. Many wine makers from this region prefer to produce the perfect crianza than average reserva.
Bodega El Lagar de Isilla
The area of the vineyard, apart from growing grapes, also features picturesque sites with old buildings. This is a tourist friendly place, owners partake in enotourism and run their own restaurant. The cellars of the restaurant building feature an accessible wine cellar created in 15th Century.
The vineyard covers the area of approximately 40 hectares. The grapes grown here are mainly Tempranillo, which yield most of the approximately 250 000 wine bottles produced here annually.
Careful selection of bushes and collected grapes, constant research and perfecting the production process contribute to production of delightful and aromatic young wines, as well as barrel ripened wines - Roble, Crianza and Reserva. In Ribera del Duero's appellation, the vineyard produces its wines since 1995 and has been honoured with many awards, such as the 2010 gold medal for Vendimia Seleccionada ’06, 2010 silver medal for Crianza ’07.
Bodega Comenge
A beautifully situated vineyard right in the heart of Ribera del Duero. The landscape is enriched by old churches and palaces, which constitute an additional tourist attraction. Grounds of the bodega cover 16 hectares and 9 000 m2 of gardens which create the unrepeatable climate of the premises.
The location of the vineyard on hills and valleys offers the perfect growth conditions for the produced grapes and the perfect balance between availability of light, sun and humidity. The vineyard produces ca. 150 000 bottles of wine per year, mainly from the Tempranillo variety. After collection, grapes undergo selection three times, manual and machine selection, to make sure that only the best and highest quality grapes are qualified for the fermentation process. Wines undergo fermentation in steel vats and barrels made of French and American oak.
Working in cooperation with Madrid University Professors, specialising in enology and food, the vineyard has created a system of selecting, macerating and controlling the production process in such a way, to make sure that wines obtained are of the best possible quality.
The implemented innovations guarantee that wines made in Bodega Comenge are aromatic, harmonious and have a great structure. Another effect of the changes are awards and prizes assigned to wines by specialist press and during wine trade fairs.