About Us
We are passionate about wine.
Sertorius was created with a simple goal in mind, to bring the best Spanish wines to our clients’ tables.
Our portfolio is hand selected and focused on wines from one of Spain’s most prestigious regions, Ribera del Duero. The region’s rich history in wine and each vineyard’s journey captivated our attention. We are proud to develop relationships with some of the best vineyards in the region. Read on to learn more about this spectacular region and the wines it offers.
In our search for the best wines, we have selected a variety of options that will satisfy different types of tastes without compromising quality. At Sertorius you will be able to find what you and your customers are looking for.
300+ Wineries
55,000+ Acres of Vines
900,000+ Hectoliters
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero is a region located in the northwest of Spain in Castilla y León, Spain’s largest autonomía or state, approximately two hours north of Madrid. It is located on an elevated plateau in the Iberian Peninsula, 800 meters (2,800ft) above sea level. The Duero River divides the region, providing its inland location a much-needed source of water. The vineyards of the region stretch intermittently for over 70 miles along the river with a range of soils, exposures and elevations. Temperatures can range from –18°C to 40°C (–0.4°F to 104°F). The capital of Ribera del Duero is the historic town of Aranda de Duero, famous for its historic underground cellars, or bodegas, that are used to store wine, some as deep as 40ft.
Although the region’s history of winemaking dates back over 2,600 years, it achieved its Designation of Origin (D.O.) status in 1982 when a small group of local producers recognized that the region’s unique terrain characteristics provided an opportunity to produce high quality wines for consumption not only within Spain, but across the globe. Today, Ribera is home to more than 300 wineries with over 55,000 acres of vineyards. Winemakers combine their traditional expertise with newer technologies making Ribera del Duero one of the youngest D.O. designations with such prestige and recognition in the world.
Wine D.O. Classification
As a classified Denomination of Origin (D.O.) in Spain, Ribera del Duero, like other wine regions with the same status, must adhere to a set of guidelines set in place by the Consejo Regulador de una Denominación de Origen. These guidelines are aimed at maintaining a consistency in the high quality of wines produced and include regulations on maximum annual yields and various aging requirements.
As you begin to interact with Spanish wines, and wines from Ribera in particular, you’ll notice they generally fall into one of the following categories.
Grape Varieties
The wines produced in Ribera del Duero are almost exclusively derived from red grapes, with most of the production dedicated to Tempranillo, which is known locally as Tinto Fino or Tinto del Pais. The D.O.’s authorized red grape varieties are Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha Tinta. Abillo Real is the only white grape authorized in Ribera del Duero. To achieve D.O. status, Ribera del Duero wines must contain at least 75% Tempranillo and have a minimum of 11.5% alcohol. Many single-vineyard wines are made with 100% Tempranillo, but there are top-quality producers that blend 90% Tempranillo with other red varieties. Today, nearly 95% of the D.O. is planted with Tinto Fino, with about 35% of all vines being over 25 years of age.
The name Tempranillo is derived from the Spanish word for early, reflecting the grapes early ripening characteristic. The Ribera variety of Tempranillo has a thicker skin than Tempranillo’s found in other wine growing regions. It is an ideal grape for the sunny but short growing season in the Ribera region. The Tempranillo variety has adapted over centuries to the harsh climate, growing conditions, and soil variations. It yields highly complex wines, that are both powerful and balanced, and retain a high degree of acidity.
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