Tempranillo: Spain's Great Red, Explained
- Posted on
- By Tim Graham
- Posted in Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Tempranillo, Toro
If Spain had a national red wine, it would speak with a Tempranillo accent. It's the grape behind the silky, cedar-scented bottles of Rioja, the muscular reds of Ribera del Duero, and the dark, brooding wines of Toro. Same grape, three very different personalities — and once you understand why, Spanish wine shelves suddenly make a lot more sense.
Here's your guide to the grape, the vineyards, and the three regions that made it famous.