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The Ribera del Duero is blessed by a combination of terroir, microclimate and a native grape that gives superb, complex red wines. At this altitude Tempranillo (also known as Tinta del País or Tinto Fino) gives thin-skinned and refreshingly acid fruit, which in turn gives wines that are delicious when they are young but also have the capacity to age into magnficent Gran Reservas. In the wake of the DO's creation in 1982 many vineyard sites were replanted and bodegas of every kind, ranging from small family operations to large cooperatives and single-estate bodegas, began to invest in modern winemaking technology. At the same time families who for generations grew and sold their grapes to bodegas have been building their own small wineries and the Regulating Council (Consejo Regulador) has been encouraging research and development projects ranging from computerized harvesting checks to alternatives to traditional pesticides. This newly acquired collective expertise has made a huge impact on the quality of the wines, which are now exported right around the world. There is a wine museum in the castle at Peñafiel and a Centro de Interpretación del vino en Aranda del Duero (Burgos)
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Fact file
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CRDO address:
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C/Hospital, 6
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09300 Roa
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Burgos
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Spain
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DO established
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21 July 1982
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Telephone
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+34-947-541-221
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Fax
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+34-947-541-116
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E-mail
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info@riberadelduero.es
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Website
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www.riberadelduero.es
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Vineyards:
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Subzones
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-
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Area under vine
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20,173 ha
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Altitude of vineyards
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750-850 m
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Soil types
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The Ribera del Duero is located on the great northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula . It is formed by an enormous smoothened base and is partly covered by tertiary sediments.
Most of these sediments consist of gently lenticular layers of silty or clayey sand. Of particular note are the alternating layers of limestone and marl and even chalky concretions.
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Principal grapes (w)
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-
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Principal grapes (r)
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Tempranillo (Tinto Fino o Tinta del País)
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Permitted grapes (w)
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Albillo
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Permitted grapes (r)
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Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha Tinta
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Experimental grapes (w)
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-
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Experimental grapes (r)
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-
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Vine density minimum
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2,000 vines/ha
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Vine density maximum
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4,000 vines/ha
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Vine layout
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En vaso (Low bush vines) and Espaldera Rectangular (Trellising on wires)
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Distance between vines
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-
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Distance between rows
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-
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Main vineyard problems
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Spring frosts, Oïdium
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Main treatments
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-
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Organic viticulture
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-
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Climate:
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Max. summer temp.
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40°C
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Min. winter temp.
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-20°C
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Average rainfall
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400-600 mm annually
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Average sunshine
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2,400 hours annually
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Production:
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Maximum crop
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7,000 kg/ha
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Yield
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70%
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Equivalent hl/ha
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49 hl/ha
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Production 2003
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76,201,403 Kg
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Production 2004
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75,400,089 Kg.
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Production 2005
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64,275,179 Kg.
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Wine alcohol content:
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White
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None with DO
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Rosé
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Min. 11% abv
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Red
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Min. 11.5 % abv
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Other
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-
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Ageing in oak:
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Crianza
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Minimum 12 months in oak. Released into the Market 01-Oct. vintage +2
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Reserva
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Min. 12 months in oak and 24 months in bottle or oak. Released into the market 01-Dec vintage +3
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Gran Reserva
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Min. 24 months oak and 36 months in bottle. Released into the market 01-Dec vintage +5
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Wineries:
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Number of Wineries
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256
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Total exports - 2005
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21,195 hl
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Total exports - 2006
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32,453 hl
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Total exports - 2007
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49,094 hl
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