Ribera became a denominated region only 1982 but, like with so many other regions in Spain, wine has been made here for more than 2,000 years. Located about 100 miles directly north of Madrid, Ribera rests on the rugged high plains of Castilla y León, where the winters are harsh, spring comes late and fall arrives early. In between, however, summers can be warm with cool nights, which allows for perfect ripening of the region’s Tempranillo, known locally as Tinto Fino.Although RDD has seen an influx of producers since its early days as a D.O., it’s still a relatively small region with a preponderance of high-quality, high-priced wines. Ribera wines tend to be big in structure, powerful and ageworthy for up to decade or more from harvest.Wine Enthusiast’s Ribera del Duero wine guide includes Ribera del Duero wine ratings and Ribera del Duero wine reviews.