All you need to know about the Spanish Tempranillo wine
The Spanish tempranillo wine is considered the best known grape wine In spain. The word Tempranillo is derived from "temprano" which means early in Spain. Therefore, Tempranillo refers to the early time the grape has been harvested traditionally.
Tempranillo (also known as i'll de Llebre, cencibel, and Tinta del pais in Spain) is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in Spain. The Tempranillo has been grown on the Iberian peninsula since the time of Phoenician settlements. Referred to as Spain's noble grape, the Spanish Tempranillo is the main grape used in Rioja.
As at 2015, Tempranillo was the third most widely planted wine grape variety world wide with 231000 hectares wine vine of which 88% was in Spain. Unlike red wine varieties such as Cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, and sangiovese which are more aromatic, the Tempranillo has a relatively neutral profile which makes it compatible when blended with other varieties such as Grenache and Carignan ( known in rioja as mazuela).
The Spanish Tempranillo wine is an easy to find and a widely diverse food-pairing wine with a great flavour profile for it's value. The finer the wine, the more balanced there is between the earth and fruit. On finishing, the wine is typically smooth and lingers with the taste of tannin on both sides of your mouth.
Below are some characteristics of the Spanish Tempranillo
Fruit: Cherry, plum, tomato, and dried fig
Other: Cedar, leather, vanilla, dill, tobacco, and clove
Oak: Yes; typically aged 16-18 months
Tannin: Medium -plus tannin
Acidity: Medium-minus acidity
ABV: 13-14.5%
The Tempranillo grape has been planted throughout the globo in countries such as New Zealand, Mexico, Washington State, Oregon, California, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Canada, Israel, Uruguay etc. For those wanting to try Spanish wine on a budget, it's worth getting friendly with a few more grapes beyond Tempranillo. Garnacha has already been mentioned a few times. It appears as the blend in priorat and Rioja. Granache is the third most planted grape in Spain.
When we say "full-bodied wine" we refer to wine having a rich, complex, well-rounded flavor that lingers in the mouth. The Spanish Tempranillo wine like other red wines has some health benefits which includes
Reduces the risk of cancer
Improves dental health
Improves memories
Reduces the risk of heart diseases
Lowers cholesterol