Two sides of the Duero coin
By Jim Budd
It's a drab November day in a rather drab landscape. A van carrying six people is stopped at a checkpoint barrier. The young official sits impassive, carefully noting details from an identity card. Tension rises palpably in the van. All that's missing is the haunting zither tune from The Third Man. After several minutes the official hands back the card and raises the barrier. The van moves off towards a series of impressive buildings.
Not, as you might imagine, a script for a low-budget spy movie, but a scene in central Spain as a group of wine journalists in the Ribera del Duero wait to gain entrance to Vega Sicilia, quite the grandest and snootiest estate in Spain, with the most expensive wines in Iberia. Morris & Verdin (0171-357 8866) are the agents, and prices start from £140 a case.
Pesquera is the other internationally known estate in Ribera. Its founder, Alejandro Fern ndez, couldn't be more different from the aristocratic owners of Vega Sicilia. A self-made man, his simple pride in showing us around his magnificent new 200-hectare Bodegas Condado de Haza was charmingly clear. Planting here began in 1987 and the first vintage is 1994. From Crianzas to Gran Reservas, quality is very high. Prices for the Fern ndez wines range from £78 to £390 (Bull & Taylor, 0171-498 8022), or contact Michael Hall (01932 223398) for other suppliers.
For much of the 20th century, Vega Sicilia was a one-off: a top-quality estate in an otherwise ignored area. Then came Pesquera, and now leading industrialists, matadors and film stars are investing in new wineries, which are sprouting up all over the place.
The chief grape variety is Tempranillo, often with a little Cabernet Sauvignon added. Ribera del Duero is undoubtedly well suited to producing high quality reds. However, investment here is not without risk. The region is high - vineyards go up to 1,000m - and severe spring frosts are always a danger. A sharp frost in May 1997 reduced production in some places by 60%. Unfortunately, this will add a further twist to already firm prices.
These powerful, full-bodied reds are well suited to winter dining. Also, because the quantities produced are limited, Ribera wines are not widely available in supermarkets, so you can offer something unusual to your customers. Most bodegas have a range of wines from Joven (young wine) to Gran Reservas.
The overall standard in Ribera del Duero is high. I was particularly impressed by the wines from the modern and well-equipped winery of Pago de Carraovejas at Pe¤afiel. Moreno Wine Importers (0171-723 6897) have the 1995 for £84. More expensive but of very high quality is the family-owned Bodegas Hermanos Perez Pascuas, fortunately sited in a frost-free area. Gauntleys (0115-911 0555) stocks the Vi¤a Pedrosa Crianza 1994 (£113), the Reserva 92 (£159) and Gran Reserva (£344). n
