Tempranillo
Spain's most-planted red grape. The backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Goes by half a dozen local names across the country.
Tempranillo is the grape variety that does the heavy lifting in Spanish red wine. The name comes from temprano ('early'), a reference to its early ripening. It's grown across most of Spain and shows up under different local names: Tinto Fino or Tinta del País in Ribera del Duero, Cencibel in La Mancha, Ull de Llebre in Catalonia, Tinta Roriz across the border in Portugal's Douro. The flavour profile shifts with the region. In Rioja it tends toward red cherry, dried fig and leather; in Ribera del Duero it's darker and more structured, with black fruit and graphite; in warmer southern regions it leans riper and softer. Tempranillo holds up well to oak aging, which is why it ended up as the foundation of Spain's most-aged wines.
How it's served
As wine: 16-18°C in a red wine glass. Younger styles (a Rioja Crianza, a Ribera Roble) drink well immediately; Reservas and Gran Reservas reward decanting and a few extra years in the bottle. Pairs naturally with roast meats, aged cheeses, slow-cooked beans and grilled lamb.
Regional variation
Rioja (Tempranillo): elegant, cherry-led, oak-aged for years. Ribera del Duero (Tinto Fino): bigger, darker, more structured. Toro (Tinta de Toro): the most powerful version, alcohol-heavy and tannic. La Mancha (Cencibel): everyday wines at lower prices. Catalan Conca de Barberà and Costers del Segre also grow it under the name Ull de Llebre. Same grape, very different wines depending on where it's planted.
- Origin
- Iberian Peninsula
- Etymology
- From the Spanish temprano ('early'), referring to the grape's relatively early ripening.
- Also called
- tinto fino, tinta del país, cencibel, ull de llebre, tinta roriz, tinta de toro
Frequently asked
What is Tempranillo?
Spain's most widely planted red grape variety, the backbone of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Early-ripening (the name comes from temprano, 'early'), with red and black cherry, dried fig, leather and tobacco notes. Holds up well to oak aging, which is why it dominates Spain's most-aged red wines.
Why does Tempranillo go by different names in different regions?
Local naming traditions older than the modern wine industry. Tinto Fino in Ribera del Duero, Cencibel in La Mancha, Ull de Llebre in Catalonia, Tinta de Toro in Toro, Tinta Roriz in Portugal. All the same grape, all from different historical naming traditions, all genuinely Tempranillo.
What food pairs with Tempranillo?
Lamb (especially roast lamb shoulder), aged Manchego cheese, grilled red meats, slow-cooked stews, jamón ibérico, mushroom dishes. The tannin and acidity cut through rich, fatty foods; the oak-aged Reserva and Gran Reserva styles especially shine with traditional Castilian roast dishes.
Related terms
- RiojaSpain's most famous wine region. Tempranillo-based reds aged in American oak for years before release; one of only two Spanish regions with the top DOCa tier.
- Ribera del DueroSpanish red wine region on the high plateau of the Duero river. Tempranillo-based, darker and more structured than Rioja, with several of Spain's most cult bottles.
- PrioratA small mountainous Catalan wine region producing intense, mineral red wines from old-vine Garnacha and Cariñena on dark slate soils. One of only two Spanish regions with DOCa/DOQ status.
- KalimotxoSpanish drink of cheap red wine and Coca-Cola, mixed half-and-half over ice. Invented in the Basque Country in 1972; now ubiquitous at festivals.
- MencíaSpanish red grape with a violet-and-mineral profile, mostly grown in Bierzo (León) and Ribeira Sacra (Galicia). Lighter and more aromatic than Tempranillo.