Spain's fastest developing region, Ribera del Duero, lies halfway between Madrid and the coast as the crow flies. It consists of a 69 mile stretch of the Duero river, with the winegrowing region extending 20 miles wide at some points. Ribera del Duero is overwhelmingly a red wine region. Rioja's Tempranillo is grown under the title Tinta del Pais, and it accounts for an increasing majority of vineyard acreage in the Ribera. In the best hands, Tinta del Pais produces more long-lived and powerful wines than does Tempranillo in Rioja.

One of the world's great wine estates and Ribera's flag-bearer, Vega Sicilia, has been producing wine for almost one and a half centuries. Located towards the west of the region, it stood alone as an estate of note until the arrival of Alejandro Fernandez in the early seventies, the quality of who's Tinto Pesquera wines have subsequently resulted in an enormous investment in the region as a whole.

At their best Ribera's wines are reputedly the longest lived in Spain. There seems little reason to doubt this when Vega Sicilia has released wines that still seem fresh and young 20 years or more after the vintage, seeming to defy the aging process. Nonetheless, they are not tough at all, but have an opulent, thick, velvety character. Riberas are unique and delicious reds, and the best part is that a number of these wines offer excellent value.