TEMPRANILLO

     SPAIN’S TOP RED WINE, MADE FAMOUS BY RIOJA, WHERE WINES ARE CLASSIFIED (IN PART) BY HOW LONG THEY AGE IN OAK.  WHAT’S AMAZING, IS A WELL-MADE TEMPRANILLO AGES FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

 

     SPANISH TEMPRANILLO DELIVERS CONTRASTING FLAVORS OF LEATHER AND CHERRIES. THE FINER THE WINE, THE MORE BALANCE THERE IS BETWEEN EARTH AND FRUIT. THE FINISH IS TYPICALLY SMOOTH AND LINGERS WITH THE TASTE OF TANNIN ON BOTH SIDES OF YOUR MOUTH. TEMPRANILLO WINES FROM NEW WORLD REGIONS, INCLUDING ARGENTINA, MEXICO, AND THE UNITED STATES, GENERALLY OFFER MORE FRUIT FLAVORS LIKE CHERRY AND TOMATO-SAUCE, FOLLOWED BY CHUNKY TANNINS AND LESS EARTHY NOTES.

 

     TEMPRANILLO CAN BE CHARACTERIZED AS EITHER A MEDIUM- TO FULL-BODIED, WITH RED FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS. IF YOU’VE NEVER TRIED TEMPRANILLO BEFORE, YOU MAY FIND IT HAS A SIMILAR TASTE PROFILE TO BOTH SANGIOVESE AND CABERNET SAUVIGNON.

 

     SOME WINEMAKERS IN AUSTRALIA ARE ALSO EXPERIMENTING (QUITE SUCCESSFULLY) WITH TEMPRANILLO PLANTINGS, AS ARE THOSE IN CALIFORNIA AND OTHER NEW WORLD REGIONS.

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RED MEAT

STEAKS, BURGERS, LAMB, SAUSAGES, FILET MIGNON

POULTRY

CHICKEN, TURKEY, DUCK, GAME BIRDS

SEAFOOD

CLAMS, MUSSELS, SHRIMP, LOBSTER, SQUID

CHEESE

MANCHEGO, PECORINO TOSCANO, RANCAL

HERBS/SPICES

OREGANO, SAGE, BASIL, GARLIC, ROSEMARY, TARRAGON, PAPRIKA

VEGETABLES

CORN, GRITS, TOMATOES, PEPPERS, POTATOES, CARROTS, ONIONS, RICE, MUSHROOMS, CELERY,

EGG PLANT, ASPARGUS​

NEED SOME IDEAS?

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     BOLDER, AGED TEMPRANILLO WINES PAIR NICELY WITH STEAK, GOURMET BURGERS AND RACK OF LAMB. FRESHER STYLES MATCH WELL WITH BAKED PASTA AND OTHER TOMATO-BASED DISHES.  TEMPRANILLO PAIRS WELL WITH ALL TYPES OF FOOD BECAUSE OF ITS SAVORY QUALITIES. REGIONAL SPANISH CUISINE CREATES AN EXCEPTIONAL PAIRING. HOWEVER, THE WINE IS DIVERSE AND NOT ONLY PAIRS WITH LOCAL SPANISH FOOD, BUT IT ALSO WORKS WELL FOODS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE.

 

     LASAGNA, PIZZA AND DISHES WITH TOMATO-BASED SAUCES

 

     BARBECUE GRILLED-MEATS, SMOKY DISHES

 

     GRITS, POLENTA, AND DISHES WITH CORN AS A MAJOR INGREDIENT

 

     MEXICAN FOOD SUCH AS TACOS, NACHOS, BURRITOS, AND CHILE RELLENOS

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     TRY RECIPES SUCH AS JAMBALAYA, SEAFOOD PAELLA, CAJUN FILET MIGNON, GOURMET HAMBURGERS, BEEF STEW, OR A SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN AND VEGGIES.