Vera Vides 2024 Red

This year’s suffocating heatwaves are hardly the ideal weather for Ribera del Duero reds, but in recent years a growing number of producers have been moving away from  the region’s traditional power and concentration in search of a fresher, lighter expression of Ribera.

Magna Vides, based in La Aguilera, a  village near Aranda de Duero (Burgos) with a significant heritage of old vineyards, is one such project. The winery was founded by Pablo Arranz and Andrea Sanz who left their jobs in 2005 to move to the village where Pablo's grandparents had lived and become winegrowers. Since then, they have assembled a considerable number of old vineyards in the Gromejón Valley, spanning La Aguilera, Quintana del Pidio and beyond Gumiel de Izán, while also planting new vineyards using cuttings taken from their original plots.

Most of their vineyards lie on the north-facing slope of the valley around La Aguilera, although they also farm some plots on the southern side, in Quintana del Pidio. The freshness of their wines comes from harvesting al dente and, perhaps more importantly, from preserving the field blends found in their old vineyards, where Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) grows alongside less common varieties. Our wine of the week, Vera Vides 2024, contains 5% Bobal, 5% Albillo Mayor and 5% Garnacha. While these percentages may seem modest, they set the wine apart from the majority of Ribera del Duero reds, which are made exclusively from Tinto Fino.

The winemaking style also contributes to the wine's drinkability. It was fermented at low temperature with 20% whole bunches, avoiding extraction, and then aged in stainless steel tanks for eight months. For this entry-level red, they use 25-year-old Tempranillo vines rather than the estate’s oldest plots, while the secondary varieties are sourced from vines around 80 years old. Bobal, for example, is not authorised in Ribera del Duero, but it can be used if it comes from vineyards that were planted before the DO was created on 21 July 1982.

In a blind tasting, few people would place Vera Vides in Ribera del Duero. Yet it is encouraging to see producers drawing on the region’s assets, such as the diversity of varieties in its old vineyards, to broaden the range of styles on offer.  
With its crisp fruit and freshness, Vera Vides offers a contemporary interpretation of Ribera. The wine displays red fruit and spicy aromas, as well as subtle hints of carbonic maceration. While it lacks the sweet fruit notes and structure typically associated with the region, it gains in drinkability and persistence.

The approachable, enjoyable style of this Vera Vides means you can serve it cooler than most reds, making it the perfect Ribera to uncork at a summer barbecue.

13% abv.
€15 
Score: 92