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D.O. Ribera del Duero



Villacampa de Marques

Following the international success of wines from Pesquera and Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero emerged as Spain's second great wine region. In the rush to plant new vineyards, however, quality from the area has been mixed, but the soils and climate have proven to be an excellent match for the Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) variety. Located in the north-central part of the Iberian peninsula, roughly halfway between Madrid and the Basque coast, the Ribera del Duero appellation resides along the upper reaches of the Rio Duero, the same river that flows through Toro and into Portugal where it becomes the famous Duoro, eventually flowing into the Atlantic at Porto.

As wines from the area received more accolades and exposure, the Duero gold rush was on and vineyard land in the area skyrocketed in price. Consequently wine values are becoming harder to locate in the area. With hundreds of bodegas already in the D.O. and additional projects sprouting up daily, there are certainly plenty of wines to choose from. We spent a lot of time in the region, tasting through wines and meeting vineyard owners and winemakers, The wines were good, but we felt the prices were a bit to high for what was in the bottle. Fortunately, however, we met Maria Teresa (Maite) Geijo in our search for wines from Toro, (see DO Toro Wines) and it just so happened that she had started a new project in the Duero region.

Maite's philosophy turned out to be a perfect match for us. She believes in total control over all aspects of the process from vineyard to bottle, meaning ownership of the vineyards, natural growing methods and minimal intervention in the cellar. Bottling a natural product that expresses vibrancy and a sense of terroir all at a fair price was her goal. Good wine with personality should be affordable, she said. We couldn't agree more.

Located near the village of La Horra at an altitude of 2500 feet above sea level, the vineyards consist of mostly old-vine Tinto Fino with a few cabernet parcels. For many years fruit from the vineyards had been sold to Pesquera, but knowing the vines' potential Maite turned to producing the wines herself.



Villacampa Roble

Produced from old-vine, low-yield (1.3 tons/acre) Tempranillo (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Villacampa de Marques Roble 2002 begins with hand harvesting, sorting and destemming. After a gentle crush the wine undergoes 18 days maceration and fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with daily cap punch downs. Five months in 3-4 year old French and American oak barriques lends a subtle layer of complexity. A brilliant cherry red color with purplish hues in the glass, this medium bodied red exhibits lovely aromas and flavors of strawberries, black berries, and cassis. Velvety on the palate, the balance between fruit, acidity, and tannins provides a nice persistent finish.














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