Ribera y Rueda

This is a special, one-night only event, held in conjunction with the US trade representatives for the Ribera del Duero & Rueda wine regions. The class will be led by Andrew Harwood, of NYC wine company, along with representatives from Spain.

Spain is one of the most important and acclaimed wine-producing countries on the planet. Its varied geography and infinite micro-climates also make it one of the most diverse which, if you like variety, is cause for celebration. But it also means that any attempt to teach a one-session class on ‘Spanish Wines’ will only scratch the surface. So if you’re a glutton for knowledge, and no cursory overview will do, read on…

This class will focus exclusively on two regions: Rueda and the Ribera del Duero. Both lie along the Duero river, in Castilla y León of Northern Spain. Both have a similar continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. But the wines could not be more different. We’ll explore and taste both, while discussing what makes each special, and why they both need to be in your wine drinking arsenal. 

We’ll kick things off with Rueda, a land devoted to white wines, and home to the native Verdejo grape. This variety offers up citrus, grass, and minerals, but also nuts, or even slightly bitter notes, which can add complexity as well as freshness. Better yet, these wines can age. Maybe not for decades, but given their modest price points, you can toss a couple under the bed, and when you finally leave that apartment in 2025, you can be the judge.

Next we head to the Ribera del Duero, home to some of Spain’s most expensive, most vaunted, and most sought after wines. Here, the Tinto Fino grape (aka Tempranillo) reigns supreme, and while other permitted grapes may be used for blending, most bottling are 100% Tinto Fino. With only moderate acidity, yet thick skins, the grape thrives in this region, where hot sunny days ripen the skins (and tannins), while the cool nights (thanks to the high altitude), help retain acidity. The resulting wines have flesh, richness, depth, and color, but also enough acid to give the wines balance and complexity. In other words, one of the world’s great classics.

But the real story comes to life when you taste the wines, and learn about them from the producers themselves, so we hope you will join us for this very special event. As always, cheeses and charcuterie will be served, breads, the works. As always, thank you!