Pedros Ballesteros Torres has identified a number of "emerging Spanish wine regions," areas that merit that moniker due to the aggregated effects of:
- Developments in viticulture and oenology
- Climate change
- A resurgence of the perennial value of indigenous varieties
- A market eager to reward niche identities.
DO Arribes is numbered among this lot. Its 380 ha of vines are planted on the higher, flatter ground and steep terraces facing the Douro and Tormes Rivers and its erosion-legacy plains.
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| DO Arribes |
The climate in Arribes is Mediterranean, with quality-enhancing diurnal temperature variation. The soil is sandy and shallow with embedded loose granite and quartz pebbles, all resting on a bed of slate. Some rocky outcroppings can be found at various points along the riverbanks.
The red varieties grown here include the the native Juan Garcia, along with Tempranillo, Rufete, Bruñal, Garnacha, and Mencia. Ninety percent of the vines planted are red varieties. White wines are made from Malvasia (the dominant variety), Verdejo, and Albillo.
The red wines are generally single-variety -- and generally Juan Garcia -- but blends are becoming more important with the passage of time. The blend must contain a minimum of 60% of the lead cultivar.
The majority of the vines are trained gobelet due to Juan Garcia's sensitivity to grey rot.
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The regions identified as emergent by Torres in his initial article are:
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