Tempranillo

Tempranillo is a bold, dry red grape from Spain and the star behind some of the country’s most famous wines, including Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Expect cherry, plum and blackberry with spice, leather and vanilla in oak-aged styles. It’s brilliant with steak, roast lamb, burgers, chorizo, BBQ food and rich tomato-based dishes.

Taste:

Juicy fruit, savoury spice and a serious talent for oak.

Tempranillo is typically dry and medium to full-bodied, with moderate acidity and tannins. Expect red cherry, black cherry, plum and blackberry, often joined by dried herbs, liquorice and earthy spice.

Where things get particularly interesting is ageing. Tempranillo has a long history of spending time in oak, which can bring flavours of vanilla, cedar, tobacco, toast, coconut and leather. Younger versions tend to put fresh fruit front and centre, while aged bottles become softer, more savoury and considerably more complex.

Basically, Tempranillo can do fresh and fruity or serious and sophisticated. Show-off.

Food Pairings:

Tempranillo and Spanish food are very good friends.

Try it with chorizo, jamón, meatballs in tomato sauce, patatas bravas, grilled meats or a charcuterie board loaded with cured meats and Manchego.

For red meat, pair it with steak, ribeye, sirloin, roast beef, beef stew, burgers, roast lamb, lamb chops or lamb kebabs.

It’s also an excellent BBQ wine, particularly with BBQ ribs, grilled steak, burgers, smoky sausages and barbecued lamb.

Tomato-based dishes work brilliantly with Tempranillo too. Try lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, beef ragù, meatballs, tomato pasta or a meat-heavy pizza.

For meat-free options, go for mushroom dishes, lentil stew, roasted peppers, grilled aubergine or smoky roasted vegetables.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Tempranillo, Rioja is essential drinking. Tempranillo is its signature grape, often blended with other Spanish varieties and matured in oak.

Ribera del Duero showcases a richer, more concentrated expression, while Toro turns the power up another notch.

For something different but similarly rich and food-friendly, try Sangiovese or Cabernet Sauvignon.

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More About Tempranillo:

Tempranillo is Spain’s most famous red grape and is grown across much of the country, with Rioja and Ribera del Duero among its best-known homes.

Because apparently one name would have been too straightforward, Tempranillo goes by several local names. In Ribera del Duero you may see Tinto Fino or Tinta del País, while in Toro it’s known as Tinta de Toro.

Its name comes from temprano, the Spanish word for “early”, referring to the grape’s tendency to ripen earlier than many other Spanish varieties.

Tempranillo can be made into everything from youthful, fruit-driven reds to complex bottles capable of ageing for decades.

One grape, several aliases and some of Spain’s greatest wines on its CV. Not bad going.