Rippa Dorii Crianza, DO Ribera del Duero

Rippa Dorii is an Ontañón Family project, producing wines from two of Spain's most important wine regions that run alongside the River Duero - Ribera del Duero and Rueda. The name Rippa Dorii is the latin form of ‘Ribera del Duero’ – inspiration for the name and label came from the nearby 13th century chapel of Santa Maria de Ripa Dorii, in Torrecilla de la Abadesa.

They have vineyards in the heart of the Ribera region, in the Fuentecén area, bathed by the Duero and its tributary the Riaza river. Here altitudes reach over 900 metres and the climate is harsh, with irregular rain, uncertain frosts, and short and extremely hot summers. Their wines here are produced solely from the Tempranillo grape, also known in the region as Tinto Fino or Tinta del Pais.

Whilst to the west, in Rueda, grapes are sourced from a selection of Organically-certified vineyards in Torreduero, Los Curas and Hornillos, where poor, gravelly soils dominate. This includes old vine, low-yielding Verdejo fruit (over 60 years).

100% Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) grapes are selected from a number of different plots near Fuentecén, at 900m altitude. Soils here are a combination of stone, clay and white limestone and vines are over 25 years in age. A first selection of grapes takes place in the vineyard, where those from the highest and coolest areas are chosen, which have experienced a slower and smoother ripening of the berries. A pre-fermentation maceration of the grapes takes place at 10ºC for 3 days, followed by alcoholic fermentation over 18 days at 22-26ºC - with pumping over and daily pumping-down. Malolactic fermentation takes place in batches, both in tank at the start of fermentation and also in barrel at its end. The wine matures for 12 months in oak barrels - 70% French (with different levels of toast) and 30% American. Between 25-30% of the barrels are new, with the rest coming from 2nd, 3rd and 4th use oak.

Aromas of bramble fruit, vanilla, nutmeg and sweet spice. The palate is rich and complex with blueberry and blackberry fruit, ripe tannins and good length.