Tempranillo
Spain's signature red, the grape of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, with cherry, leather and tobacco. It has found American homes in Texas, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
Tempranillo is Spain's most important red grape, the backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, and a key grape in Portugal's port wines (as Tinta Roriz). Its name comes from temprano, Spanish for early, because it ripens early. It's adaptable and food-friendly, and it has found a natural home in several American regions with hot days and cool nights.
What It Tastes Like
Tempranillo is medium- to full-bodied, with cherry, plum and fig, plus savory notes of leather, tobacco and earth. Aged in American oak, as in traditional Rioja, it picks up vanilla, coconut and dill. Tannins and acidity are moderate.
Where It Grows
Texas has made Tempranillo a signature red, especially in the Texas High Plains and Texas Hill Country. Southern Oregon's Umpqua and Rogue valleys, Washington's Columbia Valley and Walla Walla Valley, Idaho's Snake River Valley, and California's Lodi, Paso Robles and Sierra Foothills also grow it well.
What to Look For
- Texas Tempranillo, one of the state's best reds.
- Oak-aged reserve Tempranillo in the Rioja style.
- Tempranillo rosé, savory and dry.
Where to Find Tempranillo
Wine regions on American Winery Guide where Tempranillo is grown or poured: