Grape · Spain
Tempranillo
tem-prah-NEE-yoh
Spain's red heartbeat
Early-ripening (temprano) and oak-friendly. Tempranillo is strawberry, tobacco, and leather — the grape of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
- strawberry
- tobacco
- vanilla
- dried fig
- dust
Profile
Rioja made Tempranillo famous by aging it in American oak, which gives coconut, vanilla, and a silky, ready-to-drink style even at Reserva and Gran Reserva. Ribera del Duero is higher, harsher, and often darker and more forceful.
It also answers to Tinta Roriz in the Douro and Tinto Fino in Ribera. Blended with Garnacha, Graciano, or Mazuelo in Rioja, it becomes more complete.
Lamb, jamón, roasted peppers, and Manchego are the natural table. A Reserva is one of the great restaurant reds: complexity without needing a lecture.
At the table
Service
59–63 °F (15–17 °C). Gran Reserva is often ready; just a short airing.
