Tempranillo: Spain's leading grape variety in over 100 variations
This selection brings together over 100 Tempranillos from Spain, Portugal, and Germany, with a focus on Rioja and Ribera del Duero, complemented by Douro wines from related grape varieties. You will find everything here from uncomplicated everyday wine to long-aged top-tier bottles, plus a few rosés, white wines, and Port wines from the same grape variety environment.
Style & Taste
Tempranillo usually appears dark ruby red with aromas of cherry, blackberry, and currant. How strongly the wine is characterized by fruit or spice depends on the aging process: steel tanks keep the fruit clear and crisp, while barriques and wooden barrels add notes of leather, tobacco, and vanilla. In Rioja and Ribera del Duero, this creates two styles side by side – fresh, fruity wines for everyday life and powerful, wood-influenced wines with long barrel aging.Origin and climate further shift the character. Castile and Ribera del Duero are high and continental, resulting in concentrated, powerful wines with a firm structure. The Douro Valley in Portugal is warmer; here the variety goes by the name Tinta Roriz and often appears denser and spicier, sometimes also aged as Port wine. In Castile and the Toro region, you encounter it as Tinta de Toro or Tinta del Pais, usually more powerful and tannin-rich than the classic Rioja style. Almost all wines in the selection are dry; a small number of luscious or sweet aging levels can be found primarily in Port wines. What Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva reveal about the aging time for Tempranillo from Rioja is explained in our magazine article Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva: Rioja levels simply explained.
Which Tempranillo suits whom
Entry level (under €15): For everyone who wants to drink Tempranillo in an uncomplicated way in everyday life. This level makes up about a third of the assortment and comes primarily from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Almansa, and the Douro Valley, with designations such as DOCa, DO, and DOC. The aging ranges from steel tanks to barriques, and the level is shaped by producers such as Bodegas Carlos Serres, Baron de Ley, El Coto de Rioja, and Bodegas LAN.
Mid-range (€15–35): For everyone looking for more depth and structure without going into top prices. Also about a third of the assortment comes from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, the Douro Valley, and Castile, with designations from DOCa and DO to Vino de la Tierra. Names like Alejandro Fernández, La Rioja Alta, Niepoort Vinhos, and Bodegas Protos stand for this range.
Top tier (from €35): For special occasions and collectors who rely on long barrel aging and dense wines. Here, too, the level makes up about a third of the assortment, anchored in Rioja, Castilla, Ribera del Duero, and Castile. Producers like La Rioja Alta, Bodegas Campillo, Vega Sicilia, and Bodegas Roda shape this area with intensive barrique and wood aging.
Origin & Subcategories
The selection focuses on Spain, with Rioja and Ribera del Duero as defining regions. In addition, there are Castilla and Castile as further Spanish origins with their own character.
Outside of Spain, Portugal is represented with the Douro Valley, where the variety also appears in Port wines as Tinta Roriz. A small number of German wines round off the picture. Origin designations range from simple Vino de la Tierra via DO and DOC to the higher-quality DOCa, and for Portuguese wines also Port and quality wine.
Pairs well with
Tempranillo accompanies classic Spanish cuisine: lamb, game, and braised dishes can handle the powerful, wood-influenced styles, while fruitier wines go well with tapas, chorizo, and Manchego. Medium-bodied wines from the €15–35 range harmonize particularly well with grilled food and veal.
