This happens to us very often, almost on every visit. Many of the friends who come to visit us usually ask two inevitable questions: one always revolves around the best time to drink a wine, when it will reach its optimal point. The second concerns which vintage is the best and what truly makes one vintage better than another.
We hope you’ll allow us to begin answering both questions like the Spanish band Jarabe de Palo, by saying their famous phrase: “it depends.” First of all, the vineyard’s location, meaning its geographical setting, significantly influences the wine’s longevity—both due to the climate and the soil. For example, Rioja is closer to the sea than Ribera del Duero, meaning it benefits from temperatures moderated by the Atlantic. However, its soil composition determines higher acidity levels compared to the Castilian region. Similarly, Bordeaux, due to its rainfall and fewer hours of sunshine, also exhibits a more pronounced acidity than Ribera del Duero. As a general rule, wines from these types of regions are more long-lived and have greater aging potential. However, the characteristics of each vintage determine just how much longevity a wine can have. Generally, young wines from these regions are fresh but lack fruitiness. Mediterranean wines, from areas like Jumilla, for instance, have lower acidity and less aging potential but present a sweetness that makes them irresistible. Again, there can be better or worse vintages, but the overall context is defined by the very nature of the Murcian region.
Since Ribera del Duero has a continental climate, it incorporates both Atlantic and Mediterranean influences in its wine styles. In hotter summers, Ribera wines exhibit lower acidity and greater sweetness, making those vintages more suitable for young wines and shorter aging. Meanwhile, vintages with more moderate temperatures are better suited for longer aging.
Why does this happen? This leads us to the second question visitors ask. The key word is balance between two types of grape ripening: alcoholic and phenolic. The former relates to the amount of sugar in the grape, which later transforms into alcohol during fermentation. The latter concerns the skins and seeds, where tannins and anthocyanins—responsible for color, aromas, and much of the wine’s flavor—are found. These elements, along with acidity, form the wine’s structure and backbone.
Extremely hot summers often lead to earlier alcoholic ripeness than phenolic ripeness. This results in wines that are sweet and easy to drink when young but lack the structure and balance needed for aging. If one were to attempt making a Reserva or Gran Reserva in such a vintage, the result would likely be disappointing, as the wine wouldn’t develop the elegance expected of such styles. These are known as Mediterranean vintages in Ribera del Duero, characterized by a short cycle where the plant ripens the grapes very quickly.
On the other hand, cold vintages, with heavy rainfall during harvest or even a frost in September, result in grapes that never fully mature in either sugar or tannins and anthocyanins. This leads to wines that neither age well nor offer much fruitiness, except in young wine or oak-aged styles. In challenging, cold vintages, viticulture plays a critical role. These are known as Atlantic vintages.
However, when balance is achieved in Ribera del Duero—when summer temperatures remain below 30ºC for most of the season, with cool nights requiring a light sweater—the grape ripens slowly and steadily, reaching an ideal level of tannins and anthocyanins alongside optimal alcohol content. These are the legendary vintages that produce extraordinary wines. But in an extreme climate like Ribera del Duero, this doesn’t always happen. This is why vineyard management is so critical. Sometimes, achieving balance requires dropping fruit during the ripening period, a painful but crucial decision that helps the plant mature properly and ensures high-quality wine, even in difficult vintages.
For PRADOREY, this is a historic vintage, the highest quality of the 21st century so far. A severe late-April frost destroyed 70% of the crop at our Real Sitio de Ventosilla estate and 60% across Ribera del Duero. However, the subsequent months brought excellent weather, allowing the few remaining grapes to achieve exceptional quality. This vintage combines a perfect balance of fruitiness for young wines and great aging potential for long-lived wines. Our PRADOREY Roble 2017 (91 Peñín points) and PRADOREY Rosado Fermentado en Barrica 2017 (90 Peñín points) are already on the market. Meanwhile, our single-vineyard wines Finca Valdelayegua, Finca La Mina, Real Sitio, Adaro, Élite, and Buen Alfarero are still aging. This vintage will age well until 2060–2070.
A fresh and very interesting year, with an unusually warm October following a cool summer, allowing grapes to reach full ripeness. Already available: El Buen Alfarero (Peñín Revelation Wine Nominee), PRADOREY Roble, Lía, and Rosado Fermentado en Barrica. Coming soon: Finca Valdelayegua, Finca La Mina, Adaro, and Élite. This was not a Gran Reserva vintage but will still yield excellent wines with aging potential until 2030–2040.
A June frost impacted early growth but wasn’t as severe as in 2017. However, an intense heatwave lasted nearly all summer, leading to an early harvest and slightly overripe fruit. Still, this vintage produced notable wines, though with less aging potential than cooler vintages. Our Finca Valdelayegua (93 Suckling points), Adaro 2015 (94 Suckling points), and Cuentista 2015 (90 Wine Spectator points) are excellent choices. These wines will drink well until 2025–2030.
An anomalous vintage with heavy snow and persistent rain, resulting in a higher-than-usual yield across Ribera del Duero. Some wineries, like PRADOREY, harvested early, avoiding the worst of the rain. PRADOREY Élite 2014 (95 Decanter, 94 Peñín) and Finca La Mina 2014 (92 Peñín, 90 Suckling) confirm this was a great vintage for us, though irregular for the region overall. These wines will age well until 2025–2035.
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Carretera CL-619 km 66.1 Gumielde Mercado (Burgos) Espana
Carretera CL-619 km 64 Gumielde Mercado (Burgos) Espana
