(This article was written for GrapeBunch, our weekly wine periodical. Click here to read the original!)
Tempranillo translates to "little early one" because it ripens earlier than other native Spanish grapes like Garnacha. The variety's earliest recorded mention is from 1807 CE, and DNA studies have found that it originated in Rioja, Spain. Because of the lack of clonal variation, we know that its spread among the Iberian Peninsula happened rapidly and recently. So Tempranillo is just a baby, despite the stories of it being an ancient grape cultivated by the Phoenicians. Fun fact: This is one of the rare grapevine varieties whose foliage turns red in the fall.
Its fruit is a red grape with thick skin, moderate acidity, and the wine it produces tends to have structured tannin. These things allow it to handle both hot climates or high altitude vineyards, and also be versatile to different forms of winemaking. It can be earthy and complex when oak aged from a cooler high altitude climate, big and bold when oak aged from a hotter climate, or a wonderful cherry-bomb when unoaked or lightly oaked.
Common descriptors used for Tempranillo are cherries, strawberries, prunes, tomato, dried fig, dill, leather, tobacco, and vanilla. It's generally medium to full bodied with high tannins, moderate to low acidity, and moderate alcohol. It's a perfect pairing with roasted meats or Mexican food like tacos and fajitas.
Tempranillo is the third most planted variety in the world and Spain grows 87% of it all. And of course it's Spain's top grape, taking up 42% of the country's red grape plantings. It's grown all over Spain but Rioja and Ribera del Duero are the big regions that have made Tempranillo famous, and it's also the main player in Toro, Navarra, and other regions. Very rarely does Tempranillo not have at least a little bit of another variety blended in with it, and in Spain its best friend is Garnacha. It's also commonly blended with Carignan, Graciano, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tempranillo is grown significantly in Portugal in the regions of Douro (where it's known as Tinto Roriz) and Alentejo (where it's known as Aragonez) but it's mainly a blending grape here, usually with the likes of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's also one of the varieties that's used in making Port dessert wine.
Tempranillo is gaining popularity in vineyard plantings and the quality of the wine it produces in Australia and California, and it also loves the hot climates of Arizona and New Mexico. It can also be found in southern France, Oregon, Texas, Mexico, Argentina, Egypt, and Thailand.
Alentejo, Portugal is famous for providing most of the world's cork supply, but it also produces some of my favorite Portuguese wines. Dona Maria Alentejo Red blows me away every time I have it. It's made from 50% Aragonez (AKA Tempranillo), 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Alicante Bouschet, and 15% Syrah. It's got soft tannin with plums, chocolate, spices, and smoke. Pairing: marinated hanger steaks.
Joey Casco
Beverage Marketer
Certified Specialist of Wine
Certified Specialist of Spirits
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