Protos: The legacy and soul of Ribera del Duero

Published 22 April 2025 In Features

The Peñafiel Castle can be seen for miles. Built in the 10th century CE, it stretches 200m along the ridge overlooking the town of Peñafiel. Dominating the landscape, it is a key landmark in Ribera del Duero.

Beneath the castle lies another important part of Ribera del Duero’s heritage. Over 2km of tunnels cut deep into the mountain form Bodegas Protos’ historic cellars, and are still used to age wines today.

The original Ribera del Duero wine

In 1927, a group of 11 friends united by a passion for their region founded Bodega Ribera Duero. Decades later, when the Denominación de Origen (DO) was established in 1982, this leading winery was naturally one of the founding members. What’s more, the winery gave its name to the DO, and renamed itself Protos – Greek for ‘the first’.

Today, Protos is known worldwide – but it is more than just a brand. Its origins were formed by growers who were deeply connected to the land and who were committed to preserving the identity of Ribera del Duero and the heritage of Spanish wine.

Protos prizes its old Ribera del Duero vineyards.

A sense of place

As well as cherishing its heritage and traditions, Protos is firmly grounded in the Ribera del Duero landscape of today. Crafted from Tempranillo vines aged 30-90 years old in Burgos and Valladolid, Protos Crianza and Protos 5 Año Reserva are still flagship labels for the winery. They combine the typical intensity of the region with an elegant use of French and American oak, resulting in classic Ribera del Duero wines.

Created to commemorate the founding year of the winery, Protos ’27 is a homage to Protos’ 11 original founders. This is a wine produced from old vines – over 50 years old, grown at 800m – combined with a focus on technology, giving a fresh, complex and elegant Spanish red wine. It is fermented and aged for 16 months in French barrels, spending a further 12 months in bottle before release.

Protos ’27 was created as a tribute to the winery’s 11 original founders.

Crafting the wines of tomorrow

Striving to improve and adopt modern techniques, Protos built a new winery in 2008, designed by Sir Richard Rogers’ leading architectural firm, RSHP. The old cellars still play an important role in ageing the wines, while this new winery represents Protos’ commitment to innovation and quality.

With exports now reaching over 100 countries, Protos is a global brand with a local soul. As a central part of Ribera del Duero’s history, it is an essential stop for anyone visiting this captivating region – the winery has opened its doors to wine lovers with guided tours and wine pairing lunches. Protos thus continues to be a benchmark for quality in the region, both in its vineyards and winery, and in its offer to consumers.

Protos’ wines speak of a timelessness. They are honest interpretations of the land which has been core to the Protos story since 1927: to drink these wines is to experience that heritage.