2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Tempranillo / Tempranillo / is an old red grape variety that produces high quality wines. Most massifs of this variety are found in the famous wine region of Rioja, located in Spain. In addition, tempranio is also grown in Italy, Portugal, USA, South Africa, Australia, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Chile and others. Tempranillo is also found with other names. It is called Ojo de liebre, Aragonez, Cencibel, Tempranillo de la Rioja, Aragones, Tinto Madrid, Tinta Montereiro and others.
Tempranillo is distinguished by its dark green, broad, five-part, deeply cut leaf. Its lower part is covered with moss, and a net is formed at the upper part. During the autumn months, its color becomes more intense. The cluster of this variety is medium to large, conical, compact. The grains can be small or medium. They are spherical, but can also be flattened due to their dense position relative to each other.
They are equipped with a blue or dark blue zipper, which is not very thick. The flesh is watery and pleasant to the taste. Pleasant red wines are obtained from the fruits. Sometimes it is difficult for the grapes to accumulate enough sugars and for this reason it is blended with garnacha / grenash / and masuela / karinyan /, where, however, the amount of tempranio is higher. In Portugal, the vintage is used to make Porto blended wines. The fruits are also used to produce grape juice.
Tempranillo is a variety that prefers to be grown high. He prefers moderate temperatures and light. It develops successfully in the presence of clay and limestone soils. It belongs to the early maturing varieties. The vines are characterized by moderate and regular yields. A negative feature of the variety is that it is very vulnerable to various diseases. It is affected by gray rot and low temperatures.
History of tempranillo
Tempranillo is a very old variety that originates from the Rioja wine region, where it is still widely grown. Its name comes from the Spanish word temprano, which means early. As you can guess, the vines are so named due to the fact that their fruit begins to ripen relatively early.
Many believe that this variety may have something to do with Pinot Noir. An old legend says that Cistercian monks left this variety in several monasteries located within the boundaries of Rioja, and then appeared tempranio. However, according to research, there is no genetic link between the two varieties.
Although it is not entirely clear exactly how the variety came to be, another fact about it is more than certain - tempranillo is spreading rapidly in many parts of the world. It is believed that in the seventeenth century it was brought to America by the Spanish conquerors. Despite its instability until the twentieth century, it is already grown in a number of countries.
Characteristics on tempranillo
Tempranillo grape elixirs are characterized by a deep, captivating red color. The young representatives of this type of wine, in addition to their dense coloration, also impress with fruit notes reminiscent of small fruits such as blackcurrant, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and mulberry.
However, this does not mean that aged wines have nothing to delight consumers. On the contrary! Aging has a great effect on wines from tempranio and they enrich their characteristics with the scent of cocoa, plum, tobacco and smoke.
In general, we can conclude that over time, the wine of this variety becomes a real nobleman who will impress you with his earthy and resinous tones.
Serving tempranillo
The presence of tempranio on your table and deserves the necessary attention. Before serving, the wine should be slightly cooled to 17-18 degrees in case it is thicker and older. If the grape elixir you intend to present is soon bottled, you can cool it to 14-16 degrees.
Cooling is important, because with its help the drink will be able to present itself in its most positive light. You can serve the young wine in the middle of the evening, and if you have a well-aged drink, you can wait until the fresher and lighter alcoholic drinks are served.
When serving, choose a glass with a chair, which is made of smooth glass, without the presence of engravings. High-quality wine requires an equally representative appetizer. Traditionally, red wines go well with game. You can opt for dishes such as Jelly Partridge, Jelly Quail, Stewed Pheasant, and Roe Deer.
Of course, if you can't get game, you can use beef, pork, beef and lamb dishes. Chicken and turkey are also good solutions. A suitable appetizer to red wine are the various dried fruits, sausages, fillets and sausages.
If you are not among the lovers of meat temptations, you can combine wines from tempranio and with some kind of cheese. In this case, Cheddar, Blue Cheese and Camembert are suitable. Vegans can drink red wine with spicy tofu. The fragrant grape elixir is also suitable for combination with mushroom dishes. Prepare Pasta with Mushrooms, Stuffed Mushrooms or Mushrooms with Tomatoes.
