European Wine Reference (Wine Folly)
Ribera del Duero
Spain's high-plateau Tempranillo region — "10 months of winter and 2 months of hell" — making dense, tannic reds for roasted meat.
They say Ribera del Duero is "10 months of winter and 2 months of hell." These are the conditions that ripen the local Tempranillo grapes that go into the region's dense, tannic red wines. Flavors lean toward red fruits — raspberries to plums — with a subtle schist-stone minerality. "Drink this alongside a piece of roasted meat and you will suddenly understand why red wine is so necessary with a good hearty meal" (source: European Wine Exploration Map _ Wine Folly.pdf).
The same grape makes a much more elegant style in Rioja. Downstream, the Duero becomes Portugal's Douro — home of Port (general knowledge — the river link is not stated in the source).
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