Tempranillo

Synonyms: cencibel (Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Madrid), tinta de toro (Zamora), tinto de país/tinto fino (Burgos, Soria and Valladolid), ull de llebre (Barcelona), tinta rouriz (Portugal).

Early flowering and ripening. It has a good tannin structure, with persistent color and acidity during aging. It produces wines with less alcohol than Garnacha and Monastrell.

It is our most widely planted variety, the most emblematic and responsible for many of our best-known red wines internationally. In Spain it is distributed throughout the country, with the exception of Asturias and less significantly in the northwest of the peninsula and Andalusia due to excessive heat.

In the world, Tempranillo has an important representation in Portugal and Argentina, and to a lesser extent in California, Australia and the south of France.

It is a variety that can give high yields to produce economical, simple and light wines, but by limiting yields exceptional wines can be obtained. Produced as a single varietal or blended, Tempranillo reaches its peak in areas such as Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro. In quality winemaking, the fruit can be redder in areas with a more Atlantic influence, such as Rioja, or blacker in areas where the climate is more clearly Mediterranean. The nose can be complex with herbs, flowers and mineral nuances. In the mouth they show a remarkable acidity and tannic structure and can be more concentrated and opulent or more elegant and subtle. The tannicity of Tempranillo varies greatly depending on the climate where it grows. In continental climates such as Ribera del Duero and Toro, Tempranillo grapes are said to have a thicker skin to minimize the effect of spring frosts, which is why the wines have more tannin and structure than in Rioja, for example, where they are softer.