Tempranillo

  • Aromas and Flavors: raspberry, cherry, vanilla, tobacco
  • Low to medium acidity but relatively high in tannin from their thick skins
  • AKA: Many regional names throughout Spain: in Catalunya called Ull de Llebre, in Valdepenas called Cencibel, In Alentejo, Portugal called Aragones or Tinta Roriz
  • Primary red wine grape for much of Spain, especially wines from the Ribera del Duero and the Rioja, (where it is blended with Garnacha)
  • Key blending varietal in Port and known by the name of Tinta Roriz in Portugal’s Douro Valley
  • It needs only a short growing season and this early ripening tendency is the source of the name tempranillo, which translates to “little early one”
  • Tempranillo vines prefer a cooler climate and have low resistance to many vine diseases and pests
  • The vines tolerate heat well, but the fruit develops indistinct flavors and undesirable characteristics in hot climates