To help set the scene for the tasting on November 20 where do you see Ribera del Duero as a region and why you think it is such an important area for buyers to be focused on?
I think Ribera del Duero is in a very exciting place right now. It’s important to remember that, even though the region has been making wines since Roman times, it’s Denominación de Origen only dates back to 1982. In that short period of time - just over 40 years, remember - the region has changed considerably.
Right now, it is producing the most diverse and, I think, the most terroir-focused wines in its history, at least at the top end. In my experience, British buyers tend to see Ribera del Duero as a little monotone, but I think that’s wide of the mark.
Tim Atkin MW is hosting its Selection of Ribera del Duero 2024 vintage on November 20 in London
So come along and taste wines from different villages and vineyards and try to understand what makes this region one of Spain’s finest, as well as the source of some of its most famous wines.
You have described it as one of the world's most exciting wine regions - what makes it so exciting?
Above all, the diversity. But also, the fact that it is still something of a work in progress. Warmer and earlier vintages have made it possible to ripen grapes reliably in high-altitude or north-facing areas that were once considered marginal, so that has broadened the range of styles produced in the DO.
Most of the wines are dominated by, or made solely from Tempranillo, or Tinto Fino, as it’s known locally. This means that producers have the chance to express individual villages and vineyard sites through the prism of a single variety. It’s easier to talk about local and regional differences in Ribera del Duero, than it is in say Rioja, which uses more grapes in its blends.
I also think there is a group of very talented young winemakers in their 30s and early 40s who are taking the region to new levels of quality and complexity.
Could you have said the same five to 10 years ago - and if not what is driving those changes?
Tim Atkin MW has become arguably the most authorative international wine figure to assess Ribera del Duero on an annual basis
It’s an ongoing process and my feeling is that this is something that started just over 20 years ago. The things that are driving the changes are, as I said, the warming climate, greater focus on vineyard origin and an exciting generation of winemakers, many of whom have worked overseas before coming back to Ribera del Duero.
What do you think it offers that other regions of Spain can’t?
The altitude and climate of Ribera del Duero are not unique, but they are certainly unusual. So is the focus on a single grape variety, albeit with more things planted in the region than people realise, especially in old vineyards. As well as that, of course, it is home to two of Spain’s most famous wines – Dominio de Pingus and Vega Sicilia.
It’s all worth mentioning the white wines made from Albillo Mayor and the Rosados, or Claretes, which are part of an historic tradition in the region.
What can buyers expect at the tasting - you call it the Selection 2024 - how have you made that Selection
Every year I spend two weeks in the region in mid-September tasting nearly 600 wines and visiting a large number of producers to get the lowdown on the region. Based on that tasting, I select a Top 100. These are all wines that have scored 94 points or more.
Obviously, some wines are part of the selection from one year to the next, although the vintages obviously change, but there are always new discoveries, both for me, and for the people who come along to the tasting. I don’t have a favourite style of wine, although I tend to favour things with a recognisable sense of place.
Tim Atkin MW spends two weeks a year visiting and tasting wines across Ribera del Duero
I have done my best to pick a range of wines that express both the complexity and the diversity of Ribera del Duero, based on my knowledge of the region.
You also have a part of the tasting all about budget wines - why did you want to put a particular focus on that
Budget wines might be the wrong term. I prefer to talk in terms of value for money. Because of the steep prices of some of the region’s top wines - justified by the secondary market, I should add - people assume that Ribera del Duero is always expensive. But that’s not true. There are lots of more affordable, everyday wines, often sold as Robles, Crianzas and Cosecha bottlings.
So last year we decided to show 30 of those and it proved to be a popular feature of the tasting.
Why have you chosen £16 as the price point to define budget?
I think we chose €15 in Spain as out cut off point, so that the wines would all retail below £20 in the UK. Not cheap cheap, I will concede, but affordable for wines of good quality, all of which scored over 91 points.
How would you advise visitors to approach the tasting - in terms of what the styles of wine they taste first and then through the day?
A combination of clilmate change, new generation of winemakers and a greater focus on vineyard identity is helping to take Ribera del Duero to a new level says Tim Atkin MW
I would encourage them to taste as many wines as possible. But I appreciate that 130 wines in one day, many of them full-bodied might be demanding. So I would start with the whites, which are improving with every vintage, then move on to the rosados, then the value-for-money wines and, finally, the top reds.
I’ll be around for most of the day, so feel free to ask me for advice and I can tell you a little bit more about individual villages and vineyard parcels. The three main provinces that make up Ribera del Duero - Valladolid, Burgos and Soria - are very different so it might be a good idea to think regionally. Again, ask for guidance.
You are also hosting a masterclass and talk with the Consejo - what can we look forward to in that?
You’ll have to come along and find out on the day. But I promise you, it will be entertaining and worth your while.
Anything else to say?
This is a unique, if annual, event that puts most of the region’s best wines in one room. Nothing beats going to Ribera del Duero to taste in situ, but this is the next best thing. See you there, I hope.
Tim Atkin MW Ribera del Duero Selection
When: November 20 2024.
Where: Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH.
Time: 12pm – 5pm.
Join Tim Atkin MW and Pablo Baquera from the Consejo Regulador de Vinos de Ribera del Duero at 2pm for a one-hour briefing focusing on the latest vintages and trends, and Atkin's overall thoughts on his recent visit and the progress the region has made.
Register: Click here.
