Clive Hartley

I don’t know of another grape variety that has so many synonyms as tempranillo. In different parts of the Iberian Peninsula it goes under the names of tinta roriz, aragonez, cencibel, tinto fino and tinto de toro, which could cause confusion in a bottleshop, but it is worth the effort.

Famous in northern Spain, especially in Rioja, where it partners grenache, graciano and mazuelo grapes, and in nearby Ribera del Duero, where it goes it alone, or is blended with cabernet sauvignon, it can challenge the wines of Bordeaux as a serious, age-worthy red wine.

Cellars at Bodegas Roda. (Photo: Clive Hartley.)

Tempranillo has soft acidity, medium-bodied with fruity black cherry character and high levels of glycerine, which produces a silky texture. Unlike cabernet sauvignon you can get different styles. It can be youthful with juicy fruit and no oak making it a drink early style, often labelled as a Joven style. Crianza on the label indicates a wine that receives up to a year in oak, and is the most popular style. Reserva wines spends a total of 36 months ageing with a minimum of 12 months in oak, whilst Gran Reserva wines spends a massive 60 months ageing in total with a minimum of 18 months in barrel. The last style is basically a mature wine on release and will often have dusty tobacco characters and a brick red colour.

Enough about Spain. When grown on fertile soils in Australia, the wines can be light bodied with red fruits. Restricting the yield and water produces more fleshy medium bodied wines with better tannins. In cool climates the wines display more spice and savoury notes and more tannin again. There has been a surge of interest in tempranillo (around 370 producers) but no region has emerged to dominate plantings. Mount Avoca in the Pyrenees produces an attractive and well-priced Joven style tempranillo, whilst Narelle King with her Tar & Roses label, based in Nagambie, make a good Heathcote tempranillo. The best Australian tempranillo I’ve tasted comes from Mount Majura in Canberra. Coming back to Spain try Bodegas Roda Sela or their Reserva or Cillar de Silos from Ribera del Duero.

Clive Hartley is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant. Check out his fortnightly radio show on Hepburn Community Radio called “put a cork in it” starting on 20th November.  His book the Australian Wine Guide (7th ed) is available for purchase from Paradise Books in Daylesford or through his website – www.australianwineguide.com.au