The Winery Viña Valera of Ribera del Duero of Castille-et-Léon

The largest-ever year for entries, an incredible 18,244 wines were judged at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards – with just 163 wines awarded a Platinum medal. ‘Winning a Platinum medal is something really exceptional’ said Decanter World Wine Awards Co-Chair Sarah Jane Evans MW. ‘Platinum is like the stratospheric level’ she commented, ‘so it’s really saying to the winemaker: this is a great wine.’ Making up just 0.87% of the total wines tasted at the 2022 c ...

Guillermo de Aranzabal Bittner, a director at La Rioja Alta, said the company had acquired 35ha of old vines, with a minimum age of 45 years, in the village of Elvillar at an average altitude of 600 metres. He also said La Rioja Alta would buy more old vines this year, bringing total ‘artisanal vineyard’ acquisitions to a minimum of 5oha, and potentially up to 75ha, by the end of 2022. ‘We are buying very old vineyards, pruned in the traditional way with very low production, some of which are fi ...

Inside the March 2022 issue of Decanter Magazine: FEATURES: New Spanish whites David Williams’ A to X guide to 10 key producers and wines in Spain’s developing white scene Making wine in Spain Self-confessed ‘nomadic winemaker’ Darren Smith on the irresistible allure of Spain Producer profile: Francisco Barona Driving tractors at 12, now making top Ribera del Duero. By Tim Atkin MW Vintage preview: northern Rhône 2020 Another hot year, but there is freshness and top quality to be found. Matt Wa ...