Tem
pra
nillo

The elegance
of Rioja wines

Tempranillo is the Rioja grape par excellence, the cornerstone of its great red wines and one of the most highly regarded winemaking varieties in the world. It covers 75% of the crop area of Rioja and, as the oenologist José Hidalgo Togores explains, according to recent DNA studies conducted by the Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino (ICVV) and the Instituto Madrileño de Investigación de Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDRA), its origins have been established as a cross between:

  • The white Albillo Mayor (Turruntés) variety, originally from Castilla-León and described by Alonso de Herrera in 1513.

  • The red Benedicto variety from Aragón, described by Nicolás García de los Salmones in 1914, which is currently on the point of extinction.

History

The first historical reference to Tempranillo dates back to 1513 in the Tratado de Agricultura General (Treatise of General Agriculture) by Alonso de Herrera. In this work, he describes the variety under the name Aragonés, characterizing it as a “compact grape with large, tightly bunched clusters and highly productive vines.” Herrera noted that it produced a deep purple wine with a short shelf life, which improved significantly when blended with white grapes.

The first specific mention of Tempranillo cultivation in Rioja appeared in 1791 in the book Agricultura General by Valcárcel. In this study, he cites Tempranillo alongside varieties such as Garnacha, Mazuela, and Barbés (likely the modern-day Graciano). Valcárcel observed that it possessed tougher skins and strong canes, noting that it was harvested fifteen days earlier than Garnacha and produced a remarkably robust wine.

In 1807, S. Clemente provided the second known reference to Tinto Fino using its current name, mentioning both the Tempranillo of Logroño and the Tempranillo of Sanlúcar. Clemente asserted that the variety originated in Logroño, describing it as having upright canes and fleshy grapes with very dark, tasty juice. He famously noted its early sweetness, remarking that “bees devour the grapes before they even finish ripening.”

Expansion and geographic synonyms

By 1885, E. Abela, in El libro del viticultor (The Winegrower’s Handbook), described the Tempranillo of Peralta and Rioja. Abela documented its spread across Navarre and Rioja, noting it was also grown in Zaragoza as Cencibera, in Castilla as Tinto Aragonés, and in Tarragona as Coregón. Later, in 1905, Manso de Zúñiga placed its cultivation in Rioja, Navarre, Burgos, and Soria, suggesting a Riojan origin and providing a detailed technical description of its large, conical clusters and intense black berries.

It was not until 1954 that the link between Riojan Tempranillo, Madrid’s Tinto Fino, and Valdepeñas’ Cencíbel was officially recognized. Juan Marcilla Arrázola identified them as the same variety, while highlighting that the vast differences between La Mancha and Rioja wines were determined by soil, climate, and production practices.

Modern enological profile

In his book Cepas del Mundo (Vines of the World), José Peñín assesses Tempranillo as a variety that thrives in calcareous clay soils. He defines its modern profile through several key traits:

  • Aromatic Notes: Pleasant reminders of blackberry and bramble.

  • Palate: A fresh, dry sensation, standing in contrast to the slight sweetness found in many other Spanish varieties.

  • Aging Potential: Exceptional suitability for oak aging, characterized by a solid tannin structure, deep color, and an acidity that remains persistent throughout the aging process.

La colección de variedades de vid de ‘El Encín’.
Un recorrido por la historia de la Ampelografía.

2017

Queirón

with tempranillo

2011

2011

_about
tempranillo

A variety originally from Rioja and cultivated in numerous vineyards all over the world. The name is derived from the term “temprano”, meaning early, due to its tendency to ripen early. It is a widely cultivated variety which is also grown in Portugal, the south of France, Argentina, USA, Australia, Morocco, Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay, Mexico, and Thailand. It is known under various names: Tinta del Pais, Tinto de Toro, Tinta Fina, Cencibel (in the region of La Mancha), Tinto de Madrid, Ull de Llebre (in Catalonia), and Ojo de Liebre. In addition, it receives the names of Aragonez and Tinta Roriz in Portugal.

Ampelographic features

Shoot with an open tip, fluffy, white, slightly purple-coloured. A large leaf with five lobes and the central lobe elongated. U-shaped petiolar sinus with edges which tend to close and slightly overlap, upper lateral sinuses with overlapping edges, deep lower sinuses; tomentose edge, undulate, medium to large serrations with straight sides. Medium-large cluster, cylindrical with one wing, compact and weighing on average 300 grams. Medium-sized round, berry.

Aptitudes for cultivation

A vigorous vine with an upright bearing. It adapts to all kinds of soils and climates, preferring well-oriented soils and dry climates. In addition, it adapts well to conditions for cultivating in tropical climes, where it produces good, consistent yields (Thailand, Venezuela and north-eastern Brazil). Sometimes it can suffer from leaf burn and a blocking of ripening due to intense exposure to the sun, with negative effects on the quality of its musts.

Sensitivity to diseases and adversities

Prone to botrytis, downy and powdery mildew. Not very sensitive to spring frosts, prone to irregular fruit setting. Sensitive to warm winds.

Oenological potential

It provides wines with a deep, stable colour, suitable for cask ageing, with high alcoholic strength, medium or slightly low acidity, well-balanced with the typical aroma of tobacco leaves and spices. It is often used in blends with other red grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena, Merlot or Monastrell.

Training and pruning

It adapts to various ways of training or pruning, both in low-growing vines with short spurs and on trellises with long Guyot pruning.

Shooting period

Average-early.

Ripening period

Average-early.

Production

Average.
Catálogo general de las variedades y los clones de uva y de vino de mesa.
Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo sca.

Queirón

vineyards

with tempranillo

///viñedo de Quel ///tempranillo

Hoyo Judío
The viticulture of an alchemist

///viñedo de Quel ///tempranillo

La Pasada
A vineyard between three climates

///viñedo de Quel ///tempranillo

Los Palos de Tanis
Verticality and elegance