When you think of winemaking, do you picture a large modern facility or a cave, a press, and a barrel?  When you think of Tempranillo, do you think of fresh, bright fruit or rich layers of leather and spice?    And when you think of Spanish wines, which of these descriptions come to mind?

The Drink Ribera campaign visited Austin for the first time this past weekend and treated us to a great information session and some fabulous wines.  The Ribera del Duero region is one of the three main DOs in Spain and, although only officially recognized in the early 80s, they have been producing wines for thousands of years.  With high elevation, warm days, and cool nights, the climate is ideal for viticulture.  The region is named for the Duero river which traverses the region and provide soils of silt, clay, and sand.  In the higher elevations, you find…