Red grape variety

Tempranillo

Also called Tinto Fino, Tinta del País, Tinta de Toro, Cencibel, Ull de Llebre, Tinta Roriz, Aragonez

Tempranillo is a red grape from Spain known for medium to full-bodied wines with plum, cherry, tobacco and leather notes. It is the main grape of Rioja and Ribera del Duero. In 2015 it was the world's fourth most planted wine grape, with 232,561 hectares, 87% of them in Spain.

Color	Red (black-skinned)
Origin	Spain (a natural cross of Albillo Mayor and Benedicto)
Body	Medium to full
Acidity	Low to medium
Tannin	Medium to high
Typical aromas	plum, cherry, berries, tobacco, leather, vanilla, herbs
Key regions	Rioja (Spain), Ribera del Duero (Spain), Toro (Spain), La Mancha (Spain), Douro (Portugal), Alentejo (Portugal), Valle de Guadalupe (Mexico)

Origin and history

Tempranillo is native to Spain. Its name comes from temprano, Spanish for early, because it ripens earlier than most other Spanish red grapes. In 2012 researchers found that it is a natural cross between Albillo Mayor and a forgotten variety called Benedicto. Over centuries it acquired a long list of local names: Tinto Fino and Tinta del País in Ribera del Duero, Tinta de Toro in Toro, Cencibel in La Mancha and Valdepeñas, Ull de Llebre in Catalonia, and in Portugal Tinta Roriz in the Douro and Aragonez in the south. In 2015 it was the fourth most widely planted wine grape in the world, with 232,561 hectares, 87% of them in Spain.

Where it grows

Tempranillo is the backbone of Rioja, often blended with Grenache, Carignan (Mazuelo) and Graciano, and of Ribera del Duero in Castile and León, home of Vega Sicilia Único and Pingus. It also makes Toro, Navarra, Somontano, Penedès, Valdepeñas, La Mancha and Ribera del Guadiana. In Portugal, as Tinta Roriz, it is one of the main grapes of Port and of Douro table wines such as Barca Velha, and as Aragonez it is planted in the Alentejo and Alenquer. It thrives in chalky soils and continental climates with big swings between day and night. New World plantings include California, Oregon, Washington, Australia, Argentina and Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe.

Taste, wine styles and food

Tempranillo has thick skins that give deep colour, but it is relatively low in acidity and sugar, which is why it is often blended for freshness and alcohol. Typical aromas include berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herbs. Spain's traditional ageing categories show the grape's range: young wines released with little or no oak are bright and fruity, while crianza, reserva and gran reserva wines spend progressively longer in barrel and bottle, gaining vanilla, spice, leather and dried-fruit notes. Tempranillo pairs well with roast lamb, suckling pig, chorizo, grilled vegetables and aged cheeses such as Manchego. See the how to read a wine label guide for the ageing terms.

Test yourself: the Tempranillo quiz

Wines made with Tempranillo (19)

WineGuessr lists 19 wines made with Tempranillo, from 3 countries. Most come from Spain (12).

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Tempranillo: questions and answers

What grape is Rioja made from?

Red Rioja is made mainly from Tempranillo, often blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano.

Is Tinta Roriz the same as Tempranillo?

Yes. Tinta Roriz is the Douro name for Tempranillo, which is called Aragonez in southern Portugal and Tinto Fino or Tinta del País in Ribera del Duero.

What does Tempranillo taste like?

Tempranillo tastes of plum, cherry and berries with tobacco, leather and herbs, plus vanilla when aged in oak. It has firm tannins and moderate acidity.

What does the name Tempranillo mean?

Tempranillo comes from temprano, the Spanish word for early, because the grape ripens earlier than most other Spanish red varieties.

How much Tempranillo is planted in the world?

In 2015 Tempranillo covered 232,561 hectares, making it the fourth most planted wine grape in the world. About 87% of that area was in Spain.

Other red grapes

All grape varieties →

Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org

Last reviewed October 2026.