Produced from a limestone plateau some 900 metres high, the single vineyard ‘Salomón’ near the town of Fuentecén grows Tinta del Pais (Tempranillo) goblet-trained, 80 year old vines in limestone and sandstone with some clay and sandy. Harsh winters and scorching hot summers are softened by the proximity of the nearby River Riaza to produce its own microclimate. Hand-harvested, natural pumping over (rather than mechanical) and temperature controlled fermentation ensures retaining the intensity of the fruit. The wine spends 11 months in 100% Iberian oak barrels and produces an abundant nose of ripe black fruit, subtle spice and black olive tapenade.

The palate displays excellent balance between the complex dark fruit and oak, complemented by fresh acidity and tamed ripe tannins with keep everything balanced. Delicious mouthfeel, the overall feeling is both elegant and intense. Ultimately, this wine is about being faithful to the history of Ribera: producing wines with abundant colour, genuine aromatic fruit, with polished, silky tannins and it’s fair to say, Rippa Dorii has done exactly that!