Ribera del Duero is a land of extremes: scorching summers, bitterly cold winters, and an unforgiving terrain that demands resilience from its vines. But it is precisely this struggle that gives birth to some of Spain’s most powerful and elegant wines. In the heart of this rugged landscape sits Bodegas Valdubón; its bold yellow façade standing against the rolling vineyards. I had the opportunity to visit this award-winning producer while attending the FINE Wine Tourism Marketplace. I am pleased to share everything about my visit in this article.
Menu
About Bodegas Valdubón
The Visit
The Tasting
Overall Thoughts
About Bodegas Valdubón
Bodegas Valdubón played a role in the modern revival of Ribera del Duero, a region known for producing powerful Spanish reds. Founded in 1997 on a hilltop near the village of Milagros (which translates to “miracles” in English), the winery takes its name from the nearby Valley of Ubon, famed for its exceptional grape quality.
Ownership
Today, it is owned by Spain’s prominent Ferrer Wines Group. They own several brands, including Orube (Rioja Alavesa), Vionta (Rías Baixas) and Finca Ferrer (Valle de Uco, Argentina). You’ll read more about the first two later.
In 2022, the winery entered a new chapter with the arrival of Xavier Ausàs as an external advisor. He is the former winemaker of Vega Sicilia, one of Spain’s most sought-after wines. Under his guidance, the estate’s already impressive portfolio is reaching new heights with national and international accolades, medals, and ratings surpassing 90 points.
Environmental Initiatives
Beyond crafting award-winning wines, Bodegas Valdubón is committed to sustainability. Its series of environmentally responsible initiatives are inspiring other winemakers in the region:
- A water treatment plant safeguards the nearby Riaza and Duero river basins.
- 500 high-performance solar panels generate a significant portion of the winery’s energy.
- Rainwater collection systems support garden irrigation, promoting water conservation.
The Visit
A visit to Bodegas Valdubón truly begins on the front porch of the sunny yellow hacienda. Perched on top of a hill, it offers stunning views of the estate’s vineyards. Even before the vines awaken with leaves and bunches of grapes, it is impressive to behold.
Stepping into the winery, I was warmly welcomed by my guide, Laura, with a crisp glass of Verdejo. Similar to Sauvignon Blanc, it is refreshingly tropical with a hint of fennel. As I settled into the inviting reception area, she shared the story of Bodegas Valdubón’s evolution which I wrote above.
The interior is intimate, comfortable, and really well designed. In 2023, the estate underwent a full-scale renovation led by INDAStudio, a Barcelona-based firm. The goal? To modernize the space while honouring the winery’s Castillian roots and providing a more immersive oenotourism experience. I think they succeeded and you can judge for yourself as you continue to read.
But first, with glass in hand, we stepped outside to explore the vineyards and the terroir that defines Valdubón’s wines.
The Vineyards
Just outside the main doors, the vineyards stretched before me, the orange-tinged soil crunching beneath my feet. This seemingly inhospitable mix of sand, limestone, and clay forces the vines to struggle, yielding grapes of remarkable intensity. Way in the distance, I can spot the ranches of Grupo Leche Pascual, one of Spain’s biggest dairy producers.
Bodegas Valdubón manages 155 ha of vineyards, half estate-owned and half cultivated in close partnership with dedicated growers. Tempranillo (aka Tinta del País) dominates, its thick-skinned berries thriving in the region’s continental climate: scorching summers, bone-chilling winters, and just enough rainfall to keep things interesting. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot also grow well here, but in smaller quantities. At 790m above sea level, the combination of altitude, mineral-poor soil, and dramatic temperature shifts produces grapes with deep colour, bold aromatics, and firm structure. These are qualities that define the powerful wines of Ribera del Duero.
The average permitted yield is 7-8 bunches per vine, with a maximum yield of 6,000 kg/ha. Grapes are mostly hand-harvested by local families employed by the estate.
Making the Wines
Back inside, we stepped into the vat room, where the real transformation begins. At Valdubón, only individual berries (instead of whole bunches) make it into the tanks. Each vineyard plot, with its own vine age and character, is fermented separately. Older vines, producing more concentrated and complex flavours, are reserved for the estate’s premium wines.
Every wine undergoes malolactic fermentation, softening acidity and enhancing texture. Valdubón also proudly produces 100% vegan wines, using bee pollen instead of traditional fining agents to filter out sediment, a detail that surprised and impressed me. Another standout is that the team includes several female winemakers, shaping the future of Ribera del Duero’s wines.
Unfortunately, the cellars were closed for renovations during my visit. The upside is that they will reopen later this year with a more elevated wine tourism experience. I hope I’ll be back to see it firsthand!
The Tasting
After learning about the winemaking process, it was time to taste the fruits of their labour. We headed to a cozy tasting room nestled at the back of the hacienda, where we would explore wines from some of Spain’s most iconic wine regions: Ribera del Duero, Rioja, and Rías Baixas. I’m not sure if this is standard or because it was a press visit, but the latter two were represented by other Ferrer brands: Orube (Rioja Alavesa) and Vionta (Rías Baixas). Each wine was paired with a cheese from its respective region, offering a deliciously informative journey through Spain’s diverse terroirs.
Vionta Albariño Sobre Lías 2023
The first wine I tasted was a Vionta Albariño, a Galician white from the Atlantic coast that’s been aged on its lees (ie sobre lías) for several months, giving it a rich structure. Made from hand-picked grapes from 15-year-old vineyards in the Salnés region, it’s fermented in stainless steel.
The resulting wine is pale gold with green reflections. It is softer and more floral than the welcome white, with tropical fruit flavours and an intriguing saltiness. It reminds me of standing by the sea. Refreshing and easy-drinking, it pairs perfectly with smoked Tetilla cheese, a traditional Galician cheese shaped like, you guessed it, a breast. True to its name.
Orube Garnacha 2021
Next, I tried the Orube Garnacha, a fragrant single-varietal from Rioja Alavesa. This wine is fermented at 26°C with a 21-day maceration and aged for 10 months in French oak barrels: 80% in 225L barrels and 20% in 500L barrels.
In the glass, it’s a light ruby colour, with jammy strawberry aromas and a touch of vanilla. On the palate, the tannins are light, with a subtle bite on the finish, reminiscent of capsicum and black pepper. We paired it with Idiazabal cheese, a Basque pressed cheese made from unpasteurized Latxa sheep milk. Though not actually smoked, the cheese had a slight smokiness that beautifully highlighted the wine’s aromas.
Valdubón Diez 13th Edition (aka Valdubón X)
The final wine of the tasting was the Valdubón Diez 13th Edition, a unique non-vintage premium wine made from a blend of 40% 2020 and 60% 2021 vintages. The 2020 harvest produced small, high-quality grapes, while 2021 benefitted from September rains after a hot summer, resulting in similarly high-quality fruit.
Aged for over 13 months in French oak, with additional bottle-aging, this wine is only made in exceptional years. With 45-year-old vines, the Diez range first launched in 2007 to celebrate the winery’s 10th anniversary: in Spain, the number 10 is synonymous with perfection.
And this wine is close to perfection. Dark ruby, it is a complex treat, with chocolatey aromas intermingling with notes of ripe cassis, wet stones, black pepper, dried fig, and leather. Its velvety tannins make it incredibly smooth. It paired with a local Castillan cheese made from raw Churra sheep milk, and once again, the combination was exceptional.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to visit Bodegas Valdubón: my first winery visit in Spain! It was both informative and captivating, and Laura did a fantastic job guiding me through the vineyards, the winery, and its wines.
The tasting itself left me with mixed feelings. While the wines were enjoyable and the cheeses were out of this world (honestly, I could’ve devoured a whole platter by myself!), there was something about the experience that didn’t quite feel complete. Instead of focusing solely on Valdubón’s wines, we sampled selections from other Ferrer-owned brands. As someone still getting familiar with Spanish wines, it was an interesting way to explore different regions, but it felt somewhat disconnected from the winery I was visiting. But I don’t think this would really matter to someone not in the wine industry or super familiar with the country’s wines.
Despite that, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Bodegas Valdubón and I’m already looking forward to returning once the cellars reopen to experience the next level of their wine tourism!
Muchas gracias to Vinoinfluencers and Feria de Valladolid for this opportunity.