Vinicola Real Cueva Del Monge Rioja 2015 750ml

Generally speaking, Tempranillo produces red wines with red fruit and leather aromas, high tannins, moderate to low acidity, and moderate alcohol. In 2020, Tempranillo was the third most-planted grape variety in the world, with the majority of plantings in the Iberian peninsula.

The most searched-for Tempranillo-based wine on our list is Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva.


Tempranillo in Rioja
In Rioja, Tempranillo is, more often than not, the major component of a Rioja blend (alongside varying proportions of Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano. In Ribera del Duero, the variety is known as "Tinto Fino" and, if not blended with the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon, wines here are often made as a 100-percent Tempranillo.

Tempranillo flavors & characteristics
Tempranillo is a relatively thick-skinned red grape with a high anthocyanin count that makes for deep-colored red wines with moderate tannins and, where rosé is produced from the variety, generally quite deeply-hued, pink colors.

Aromas
While the variety is often accused of lacking its own idiosyncratic flavor profile, Tempranillo wines can produce a wide range of aromas, ranging from strawberries, blackcurrants and cherries to prunes, chocolate, leather and tobacco depending on vineyard age and mesoclimate.

Palate profile
Moderate to full-bodied, Tempranillo generally shows moderate tannins with moderate to low acidity. Temperate climates (or those with good diurnal temperature shift) such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero produce long-lived, structured, often elegant wines.

In warmer climates, the variety can take on a darker fruit aspect with high alcohol, high tannins and low acidity.