Tempranillo – The Spanish Red Wine
Advice from WineStyle's Jill Stacey
Tempranillo – The Spanish Red Wine
Ever wonder if wine can go with Spanish food? The answer is yes it can. And one of the best is Tempranillo. Until recently, Tempranillo was a little known varietal grape that originated in Spain. It mainly grows in the Northern Region of Spain called Rioja and also in the neighboring region of Ribera del Duero where it is named tinto fino. In Portugal, known for Port, Tempranillo is grown and produced under the name of tinta roriz and is one of the grapes used in Port wine.
Unlike the Spanish temperature, food, and dancing, Tempranillo is not “hot”. It’s not a heavy, knock your socks of wine. Winemaking styles for Tempranillo can vary from a fresh, young wine bursting with cherry flavors to an aged oaked, earthy, vanilla flavored wine with a smooth finish. For instance, the wine named Rioja (remember this is Tempranillo from the Rioja region) is aged longer before release than any other wine in the world. Because of this, they have designed DOC statuses to their Tempranillos in order to classify them according to quality of grapes used and how long the wines are aged.
Crianza, the youngest of the classifications, is an easy-drinking wine with full earth, spice, bright cherry, and vanilla. It's aged 12 months in barrels. If not DOC labeled, Rioja can typically also be blended with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and granacha.
Reservas are subtle, supple wines with lingering finishes of earth, leather, and dried leaves. These are typically only made in exceptional years.
Gran Reserva’s are only made in exceptional years from the very best vineyards and are rarer than the other classifications. These Tempranillos are the most elegant, silky and refined with the longest time spent in the oldest, most neutral barrels. By law, at least 5 years of aging is required for this classification, but many winemakers will leave them in for an average of 8 to 10 years.
A few Tempranillo Wines to look for:
Fruity: Campos Reales Tempranillo – Bright Cherry, crisp cranberry with a small oak influence makes this wine perfect for anything from turkey, ham, or a strawberry spinach salad. You will love the price too – Under $10!
 Bold: Tinto Pesquera – From the Ribera del Duero region. One of the most sought after wines. Classic 'Pesquera' nose of leather and mineral with deep black fruit and fine, firm tannins balanced by clean, fine-grained oak. Bottle age would be beneficial, though not required.
Decant.
 Bold: Finca Antigua Reserva Clear and brilliant with great cherry color. Intense aromas of
ripe red preserves. The palate is complex with lots of plum, fig, chocolate and a touch of burnt wood and green pepper.
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