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Ribera del Duero is one of the most highly well-respected designations of origin (DOs) both nationally and internationally. Its wines are always present in the best restaurants around the world and wine lovers know its grapes, its climate and its soil like the back of their hands. And the soil is precisely what we’d like to talk about today – it’s one of the elements that gives the most personality to Ribera del Duero. We’re focusing on the soil in this post because our vineyards stand in the heart of the DO, in the so-called Golden Mile, and its influence is noticeable in each note of our wines.
The vineyards in Ribera del Duero stand above 700 metres in altitude and the passage of time has created a soil with some very specific characteristics that help the vines to produce their best grapes. Beneath the vines, layers of sandy or clayey soil alternate with limey and chalky layers. It’s a perfect setting for a vineyard.
And here, in this privileged place, is Bodegas Arzuaga. Our vines grow near the river and also on slopes, although the altitude is what characterises us the most. That’s because we were pioneers in moorland vinegrowing, and on our La Planta estate, you can find vines we planted in the 1980s that now get their particular characteristics from the altitude.
Earlier, we mentioned the types of soil you can find in Ribera del Duero, and they’re practically all here at Bodegas Arzuaga: from clay soils to sandy areas and pebbles. But if there’s one thing that characterises the soil where our vines grow, it’s the white, chalky soil that the roots of our vines grow down into. This gives the wines a unique elegance, very subtle personality and lots of fineness.
Moreover, at Bodegas Arzuaga, we have vineyards both in the province of Valladolid, where the soils are generally chalkier, and also have that white stone we mentioned, as well as in Burgos, where they’re a bit more potent. This way, we can select grapes from each province depending on the wine we want to make.
Lots of wine experts love Ribera del Duero for its very particular, special soils that have the ability to give the wine a unique personality. We’re well aware of this at Bodegas Arzuaga, which is why we study all of our soils carefully and pay attention to all the details, with just one aim: for our wines to reflect the spirit of Ribera del Duero and the character of Bodegas Arzuaga.