Podcast

The Drinking Hour podcast: Exploring the appeal of Ribera del Duero

In episode 199 of The Drinking Hour, David Kermode travels to Castilla y León to explore the wines, terroir and old vines of Ribera del Duero. Along the way, he meets with some of the regions most influential winemakers, including the man behind a legendary Spanish wine

Words by Club Oenologique Editors

With its high altitude, Mediterranean climate and limestone soils, Ribera del Duero is often favorably compared to some of the top wine regions in the world. In this episode of The Drinking Hour podcast, host David Kermode heads to Castilla y León to find out more about the region, its grapes and its wines.

For some background to Ribera del Duero, Kermode is joined by Almudena Alberca MW. Alberca, herself a winemaker, introduces the region and talks through some of the soil types that create such desirable growing conditions.

Kermode’s next guest guides him through the different classifications within the region. From Cosecha to Gran Reserva, Pablo Baquera, marketing director at the Consejo Regulador, explains how the pyramid of quality exists to shine a light on the different ageing requirements and why these labels are so important to Spanish wine.

Peter Sisseck, creator of Pingus, one of Spain’s most celebrated wines, provides insight into how he ‘accidentally’ stumbled across the region while in between jobs. He tells Kermode what attracted him to the region and explains why he thinks Pingus has been so successful. The duo talk through the resilience of old vines and why it has taken Sisseck many years to fully understand Tempranillo.

Kermode’s other guests include: Javier Borges of Bodegas Borges ,who tells him why Tempranillo is so coveted in the region, and Pablo González, CEO and owner of Valtravieso, who introduces Kermode to the estate and its unique soils.

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