Tempranillo (Grape)

Region/s: Rioja and Ribera del Duero but planted all over Spain

Type: Red. but there is also tempranillo blanco which is white

Country/ies: Spain. Small amounts: Portugal, Australia, US.

Drinkability: Often very ageable but could also drink now

Characteristics: Often a strong cherry flavour, very often always oaked.

Other names: Ull de Llebre, Cencibel, Tinto Fino, Tinta del Pais, Aragonez or Tinta Roriz in Portugal. 

Introduction

Tempranillo is mainly a Spanish grape with the most famous home of Rioja in the north of Spain. However, other places experiment with the grape as well. Tempranillo grapes are often stored in oak and often mixed with Garnacha, Mazuelo and/or Graciano, usually with the greater part being tempranillo (Around 90%). The other famous region of Tempranillo is the Ribera del Duero in the central north in the provinces of Burgos, Valladolid, Seegovia, Soria and in the region of Castile and Leon. The Tempranillo from Ribera tends to be more on the dark fruit range in comparison to Rioja. Vega Sicilia is one of the more famous names from Ribera and thus charges a premium for their wines. The name stems from the fact that it is ripened weeks before most other Spanish grapes.

 

Relevant links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rioja_(wine)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribera_del_Duero

https://catavino.net/grapes-of-rioja-2/

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