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- Virtuoso winemaker Javier Murúa selects the finest Tempranillo for this delicious, easy-drinking redfrom £6.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £36.00
- Meet our No.1 bestselling Rioja of all time, brimming with fruit and layered with toasty vanilla oakfrom £11.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Superb, silky, fresh-fruit Rioja from high Alta vineyards - an epiphany of bright berry charmfrom £11.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- A superb Gran Reserva with 9 years’ age. Mature berry fruits, cigar box and spice. Deliciously longfrom £15.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £48.00
- Gloriously mellow, double-Gold Gran Seleccíón, long aged in oak and bottle, from Spain’s Valenciafrom £9.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £12.00
- Divine Gran Reserva with 8 years' maturity, from the family who make our top-value No.1 Riojafrom £18.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £36.12
- Charming silky, berry-filled Rioja from a family bodega. Youthful and fruity with no oakfrom £8.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £12.00
- A smooth, mellow Rioja Reserva with all the elegance you’d expect from this family estatefrom £17.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Oak-aged Tempranillo, brimful of fresh berry flavour and spicy length. Easy going and top valuefrom £9.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £12.00
- Delicious, fruit-filled, young Rioja from this stand-out family estate, 'royalty' in the regionfrom £10.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Silky, fragrant, fruit-driven Rioja from high vineyards on the century-old Chavarri family estatefrom £11.49 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £18.00
- Lovers of silky, oak-aged Tempranillo, take note. A dark berry fruit Crianza married with toasty oakfrom £12.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Pretty red fruits tempered with oak spice in this fine Rioja Crianza from a top family estatefrom £13.49 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £18.00
- Mellow, 7-year-old Gran Reserva Rioja from this family-owned winery. Silky red fruits and spicefrom £14.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £36.00
- Seven Golds and 97 points for the latest Altos Pigeage from Jean-Marc’s superb, high-altitude Riojafrom £23.00 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £36.00
- Complex, elegant Rioja Reserva, aged two years in barrel, from a top family estatefrom £12.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £60.00
- Delicious fruit appeal in this young, silky, raspberry-scented Rioja from the lofty Alavesa slopesfrom £10.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Superb, mature Reserva Rioja from a top family estate – Carlos Martínez Bujanda’s Finca Valpiedrafrom £11.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Deliciously silky, mellow Tempranillo red from north and central Spain with rare 14 years' maturityfrom £8.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £12.00
- Two Golds already for this serious Rioja Reserva from Jean-Marc Sauboua's bodega in the skyfrom £17.99 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £24.00
- Lovely 7-year maturity in this flagship Gran Reserva from a family-owned bodega in central Spainfrom £10.49 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £18.00
- Delicious and refreshing sparkling rosé, just the business when it needs to be alcohol free£9.99 per bottle
- From the very first winery of Ribera del Duero, a fine, barrel-matured, old-vine redfrom £27.00 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £36.00
- Sumptuous, perfectly mature Gran Reserva from a great estate and an officially excellent vintagefrom £22.50 per bottlewhen you mix 12+SAVE £30.00
Wine FAQs
What is Tempranillo?
Tempranillo (pronounced tem–prah–nee–yoh) is a distinguished black grape variety, flourishing predominantly in the vineyards of Spain and Portugal. It is the backbone of Rioja’s globally acclaimed red wines and can be used to make Port. Wines made with Tempranillo have ripe strawberry and red cherry flavours, and you’ll also often find hints of spice and tobacco if matured in oak barrels.
Where is Tempranillo grown?
Tempranillo’s history is deeply rooted in Spain, and it remains one of the most popular red grape varieties in Spanish vineyards. It is especially important in the Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro wine regions.
Known for its early ripening characteristics – temprano means early in Spanish – Tempranillo is a robust grape that grows well in different climates and soils. It’s best suited to cooler, high-altitude areas with some shelter from harsher weather but can also thrive in hot, dry climates.
Tempranillo has migrated worldwide to other wine-producing countries, including Chile and Argentina, McLaren Vale in South Australia and California’s Inland Valleys.
What is Tempranillo’s style and character?
Tempranillo wines are vibrant ruby red when young, medium-full-bodied with high tannins and a harmonious balance of moderate-to-low acidity and alcohol. In terms of flavours, you can enjoy a medley of red and dark fruits. It’s also well-known for its ability to absorb the flavours from oak barrels beautifully – such as vanilla, cedar, and chocolate – and for acquiring tertiary flavours of leather during bottle ageing, enhancing the wine’s complexity over time.
However, the body and tannin levels of Tempranillo wines can vary significantly based on the region and winemaking practices. For instance, Tempranillo from cooler regions such as Rioja Alta or made in a more traditional style might be medium-bodied with moderate tannins. In contrast, those from warmer areas such as Ribera del Duero or made in a modern style could be fuller-bodied with higher tannins and darker fruit flavours.
Tempranillo makes fantastic single-varietal wines but plays a pivotal role in renowned blends such as Spanish Rioja and Port.
What does Tempranillo taste like?
Tempranillo wines are marked by their complexity and fruit-forward profile, with red fruit flavours such as:
- Raspberry
- Strawberry
- Cherry
- Stewed fruit
Some will also have a hint of fig. When grown in warm climates and aged in oak barrels or bottles, Tempranillo can develop dark fruit flavours and a medley of secondary notes, including:
- Blackcurrants
- Prunes
- Chocolate
- Vanilla
- Spice
- Cedar
- Tobacco
How to pick a good Tempranillo
Tempranillo is at the heart of some of the best-balanced red wines in the world, so choosing a high-quality Tempranillo can be a rewarding challenge.
You can’t go wrong with a classic Spanish Rioja or Ribera del Duero blend if you want a smooth, fruity red. Tempranillo wines labelled Reserva or Gran Reserva have been aged longer, leading to more complex and sophisticated flavours.
However, for a more modern, concentrated style with vibrant fruit flavours and denser tannins, you might want to try Tempranillo from regions like Toro or newer wine regions such as Navarra and La Mancha.
Outside of Spain, regions like Australia's McLaren Vale and California's Paso Robles produce noteworthy Tempranillos, displaying ripe fruit flavours, a fuller body, and often a more noticeable oak character.
What food pairs well with Tempranillo?
Tempranillo wines boast incredible versatility, pairing well with many dishes. They are an excellent match for Spanish dishes – think paella, chorizo, Manchego cheese and tapas. Tempranillo also pairs beautifully with grilled or roasted lamb, beef and pork. For vegetarian options, dishes with tomatoes, bell peppers, or herbs like thyme and rosemary work well.
Spicy dishes, from Mexican cuisine to Indian curries, also work surprisingly well with Tempranillo. The wine’s fruitiness balances the heat, while its acidity cuts through richer, cream-based sauces.
Discover more with our beginner's guide to food and wine pairing.
How to serve Tempranillo
To unlock Tempranillo’s fruit flavours, decant your bottle an hour before serving. Tempranillo is best served at a room temperature of 18-20°C, though this can vary depending on the style of Tempranillo. Lighter, younger Tempranillo wines might be best served slightly cooler, around 16-18°C.
When serving older, more complex Tempranillos, especially Reserva or Gran Reserva styles, it’s better to decant for up to two hours. This can help to awaken its evolved flavours and aromas fully. Given the aromatic profile of Tempranillo, consider using a glass with a larger bowl to allow the wine to breathe and better concentrate its aromas.
Learn more about the perfect wine serving temperatures.