The Ribera del Duero area enjoys a continental climate with an Atlantic influence. Rainfall is low, with annual averages below 500 mm, concentrated especially in spring and autumn. Sunshine is abundant, as the River Duero region favours the morning mists and fogs that provide an additional source of humidity. There are 250 hectares of vineyard at Vega Sicilia, mostly Tempranillo de la Ribera, with further plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec. Vintage 1995 was vinified mostly from Tempranillo with a seventh of Cabernet Sauvignon, matured up to ten years in a combination of seasoned and new, oak casks and larger capacity wooden vats.