Tempranillo

Spain’s top red wine, made famous by Rioja, where wines are classified (in part) by how long they age in oak. Bolder, aged Tempranillo wines pair nicely with steak, gourmet burgers and rack of lamb. Fresher styles match well with baked pasta and other tomato-based dishes.


Fun Facts About Tempranillo Wine
-Tempranillo is Spain’s number one red wine grape.
-Ever had Rioja? (“rhee-yo-ha”) This region is famous for its Tempranillo-based wines.
-Tempranillo has many common synonyms. For example, in Portugal, it’s also known as Tinta Roriz and Aragonéz.
-Well-crafted Tempranillo wines age for two or more decades.
-Tempranillo is a major blending grape used in Port (and called Tinta Roriz).
-There is a very rare white mutation of Tempranillo called Tempranillo Blanco (found in Rioja Baja!)
-In the fall, Tempranillo vineyards turn brilliant red!
-It’s possible that Central and Southern Italy has more Tempranillo than we think. Some vineyards thought to be “Malvasia Nera” turned out to be Tempranillo!

What To Look For in Tempranillo Wine
When tasting Tempranillo wines, we look for clues that indicate it was made with exceptional quality grapes. For Tempranillo, you’ll note a few things:

While Tempranillo is not the deepest-colored red, a higher quality, youthful example will have a deep ruby-red hue with a bright red rim.
Expect tannin levels to be high and acidity should also be noticeable (to complement the tannin).
Fruit flavors are generally in the red fruit spectrum (red cherry, black cherry, raspberry) with subtle savory fruit notes (dried tomato, red pepper, etc).
Top level Tempranillo wines often age in oak (American or European oak) for at least 12 months.
While the body does not get as rich as Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo is very complex with layers of flavors from start to finish.