It is a pure purple grape, with a blue, dusty sheen, producing wine which is a bright, ruby red in color and rich in flavor. A mutated white variety has been produced as of 1988, nearly identical in every way but of a white-grape, bright green color. These white mutants, however, have only just begun to be experimentally cultivated and bottled, so it may be many decades before they even get considered a variety in their own right.

Outside of Spain, Tempranillo has only seen successful cultivation in Australia, where over 100 wineries have used it, and in South America in selected regions of Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Tempranillo wine is characterized as having very strong flavors, in a narrow, but intriguing, palette encompassing berries, tobacco, vanilla, plums, and herbs. It is very low in acid and sugar, and so is often blended with a richer wine, such as Grenache . In Portugal, it is used in the production of port wines.

Tempranillo is known to be heavily affected by the climate during growing; a cool climate produces more acidity, while a warm climate gives it sugar and a deeper color. The Ribera del Duero region of Spain seems to be best suited to balancing these affects.

In dining, Tempranillo is paired with the usual red-wine foods, with a preference for the 'region-with-region' rule making it an excellent companion to Spanish cuisine.

Please contact us if you have any suggestions for our wine website.

Browse our Wine Specials | View our New Products | Join our Wine Club

Red Wine | White Wine | Champagne | Rose Wine | Sparkling | Dessert Wine | Fortified Wine