TEMPRANILLOIN THE SPOTLIGHT ’s signature variety offers a breadth of expressions from across the country.

BY MICHAEL SCHACHNER MEG BAGGOTT PHOTOS BY he opinionated owner of Finca Allende, Miguel Angel de Gregorio, didn’t hesitate when asked recently where his home turf of , Spain, ranks among Old World regions: “Rioja belongs in the top five.” T“There’s Bordeaux, Burgundy and Alsace in France, Piedmont in Italy and Rioja. But Rioja is a land of 1,000 ,” he said. “There is no such thing as typical Rioja, except that it must be Denomi- made entirely or largely from .” Indeed, Tempranillo is the (DOCa),grape that Spain’s fuels themost Rioja historic and nación de Origen Calificada lauded wine region. It accounts for 88% of red grapes, and about three-quarters of all grapes grown in the appellation. While a number of Rioja reds are varietal Tempranillo, many of the region’s showcase wines adhere to traditional recipes and include small percentages of Garnacha (), Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan).

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can be light and easy, lush and deep, or elegant and ageworthy, proving de Gregorio right that the region’s Tempranillo-based wines vary in style. ItBut that being said, Rioja doesn’t have a monopoly on the grape within Spain. A few hours southwest, Tempranillo is Recent Tempranillo also king in the Duero River Valley that’s home to the Denominacións de Origen Vintages in Spain (DOs) of and Toro. There, the weather is more extreme than in Rioja, the elevation much higher than it appears, and wines are made entirely from Tempra- 2017 nillo, often referred to locally as Tinto Fino A difficult year. Devastating April or Tinta de Toro. frosts in Rioja and the Duero Valley These wines are generally dark, potent resulted in a massive reduction in 2013 Unusually cold and rainy conditions and tannic, sometimes even fierce. To put yields. A dry, hot summer caused produced austere, acidic wines in it in boxing terms, if the best Tempranillos what did survive to be intense both Rioja and the Duero Valley. from Rioja are finely tuned middleweights, and tannic. those from Ribera del Duero and Toro are punch-packing heavyweights. 2012 2016 A very good to excellent warm And that’s the thing—there’s a Tempra- An excellent vintage throughout year that resulted in full-bodied nillo for every taste. You just need to know Spain. Dry, sunny weather through wines. Top Rioja Reservas and Gran where to look. harvest yielded outstanding Reservas are showing well. The Early Bird raw materials. Tempranillo draws its name from the 2011 Spanish word temprano, which means 2015 An excellent vintage. Top Rioja Gran Very warm weather in Rioja and the early. While not exactly an early ripener in Reservas will reward long-term Duero Valley resulted in superripe, the global sense, it matures cellaring. Ribera del Duero and Toro fleshy wines. Not a classic vintage for faster on the vine than most wines are more intense than usual. long-term aging. other red grape varieties, like the aforementioned Garnacha, The French taught 2010 Graciano and Mazuelo. 2014 A cool, dry, extended growing season Not a disaster, but not great. Rain The variety particularly Riojano winemakers resulted in wines with less overt and cool weather at harvest resulted excels in the north of Spain, ripeness, higher acidity and unlimited in uneven ripeness and inconsistent where temperatures are how to grow better aging potential. quality across the country. Rot and fairly moderate, rivers flow in mildew were also issues. multiple directions and high grapes and age elevations help keep the nights cool. wine properly in In Rioja, for example, the best Tempranillo vineyards oak barrels, often are found in the Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa subzones, for years prior to where soils are rich in limestone deposits and bottling. generally exceed 1,500 feet above sea level. The Sierra de mountain range to the north and Sierra de la Demanda subrange to the south of the Ebro River create an ideal, valley-like atmosphere to cultivate top wine grapes. While no one knows for sure how long Tempranillo has existed in Spain, the general

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belief is that the grape’s history in Iberia extends to Spanish Tempranillos to Buy Now the time of the Phoenicians. - It was during the 1800s, however, that the - Bodegas Tobía 2015 Alma To Sa- variety came to the fore in Rioja. During the worst CVNE 2011 Imperial Gran Reser bía Tinto de Autor (Rioja). va (Rioja). Aromas of spiced 93 97 vory oak aromas are matched by dark of Europe’s phylloxera plague, many Bordeaux plum, black olive, fig, tobacco and berry, toast and chocolaty scents. A winemakers crossed the Pyrenees mountains to cassis come together like a puzzle. - full-bodied palate offers just enough make wine in Spain, which had not yet been hit by The palate shows near-perfect bal give and tastes of blackberry, savory ance and tastes of ripe plum, berry - the destructive vine louse. oak and vanilla. A long finish con The French taught Riojano winemakers how to fruits and earthy spice. Smooth and tinues a theme of balanced ripeness. - elegant on the finish. Drink through Drink through 2040. Tri-Vin Im grow better grapes and age wine properly in oak 2035. Arano LLC. Editors’ Choice. $88 ports. Editors’ Choice. barrels, often for years prior to bottling. It was 14% Price: Price: $75 abv: abv: 14.5% these new techniques that would eventually lead - Casa Primicia 2012 Viña Diez to Rioja’s now-familiar aging-based classifications: García Figuero 2016 Crianza 94 mo GR Gran Reserva (Rioja). 12 (Ribera del Duero). Smoky Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. - 93 - Aromas of baked black fruits and co blackberry and cassis aromas are con From that watershed era arose - coa launch this wine. Concentrated centrated and ripe. Typical of the re wineries including Marqués de on the palate, it deals plum and berry gion, this feels full and flush, with hard Riscal, Marqués de Murrieta, flavors that are backed by wood spice - tannins. Blackberry, coffee and choco Compañía Vinícola del Norte de and cinnamon notes. A stout finish late flavors soften on the finish. Drink Wines from Ribera holds onto its fruit. Drink through through 2030. Quintessential Wines. España (CVNE), Alta, 2035. W. Direct. Editors’ Choice. Price: $32 Bodegas Franco-Españolas and Price: $44 abv: 14.6% del Duero and Toro abv: 14.5% Bodegas Riojanas. Today, all make Marqués de Cáceres 2011 Gran Contino 2015 Reserva (Rioja). Smooth, steady some of the world’s greatest wines. - Reserva (Rioja). are usually muscular Rich, malty aromas are sup 93 These wines represent a quint- 94 aromas of dark fruits, turned earth and ported by cocoa, mocha and berry oak grain are on the money. This feels essential Rioja style: refined - and extracted, with scents. This has a jammy palate and a pure and tight, with clarity and struc wines of elegance, always based ripe flavor profile. Depth and balance ture. Flavors of dried plum, cherry, on Tempranillo. They also boast drive the finish. Drink through 2040. raspberry, spice and cocoa finish with the potential for Arano LLC. Editors’ Choice. - a healthy but integrated mix of $45 elegance. Drink through 2040. Vine 13.5% Price: spicy berry and plum aromas abv: yard Brands. Editors’ Choice. high alcohol and Price: $40 - abv: 14% and flavors, bracing acidity, oak 12 Linajes 2014 Reserva (Ri framing and the ability to improve bera del Duero). Subtle yet - powerful tannins. 93 Marqués de Murrieta 2012 Fin for many years after bottling. ripe blackberry and tobacco aromas ca Ygay Gran Reserva Limited are chocolaty. The wine tastes of 93 - Edition (Rioja). Initial oaky aromas blackberry, black cherry and bak settle on road-tar blackness. A lush Brawn Over Finesse ing spices, while a finish with notes palate is braced by acidity and tastes of The Duero River begins in the province of Soria of lemony oak, vanilla and tobacco plum, cassis, tobacco and brown sugar. in north-central Spain. It flows westward into is rock-solid and on point. Drink A long finish features mocha, chocolate USA Wine West. Edi- Portugal before it joins with the Atlantic Ocean through 2028. and spice notes. This will be best from tors’ Choice. - near the city of Oporto. Along the way, it provides $35 2022–2028. Maisons Marques & Do 14.5% Price: abv: maines USA. Cellar Selection. the Ribera del Duero and Toro regions with vital Price: $57 abv: 14% water to nurture Tempranillo. Bodegas Franco-Españolas Wines from these regions are usually muscular 93 2011 Royal Reserva (Rioja). Numanthia 2014 Numanthia - and extracted, with the potential for high alcohol Aromas of dried plum and cherry (Toro). Black cherry, choco 93 and powerful tannins. They’re intense creations are aided by wood spice and vanilla late and marzipan aromas announce a notes. This is lively but balanced on ripe wine. This tastes of savory black with a lot of color, fruit, oak and raw power. - - the palate. Plum, berry and spice fla fruits and chocolate, while an un In eastern Ribera del Duero, near the town of vors shout Rioja all the way, while this - yielding finish focuses on blackberry Aranda del Duero, elevations can exceed 3,000 runs steady across an unwavering fin and coffee richness framed by lasting ish. Drink through 2028. W. Direct. ët feet above sea level, while Tempranillo thrives $34 tannins. Drink through 2032. Mo 14% Price: above 2,000 feet in the heart of the region just to abv: Hennessy USA. Price: $60 abv: 15% the east of . In Toro, to the west of Valla­ Bodegas Riojanas 2011 Monte dolid, vineyards sit just below that threshold. Real Gran Reserva (Rioja). 93 San Román 2016 Prima (Toro). These heights translate into extreme growing Blackberry, prune, raisin, leather and Black-fruit aromas include a 91 conditions highlighted by long winters and short, tar aromas are full, but refined. This note of prune. Typical of wines from feels tight and exhibits finely focused San Román, this is tannic, but within hot summers—additional factors that contribute flavors of blackberry, vanilla and reason. Savory oak pushes a bacon to the final intensity of the wines. coffee. On the finish, complex notes flavor onto blackberry fruit, while If you subscribe to the “go big or go home” of tobacco and marzipan stand out. Bodegas Rioja- this is meaty and spicy on the finish. mantra, the wines of Toro and Ribera del Duero Drink through 2030. Drink through 2026. Grapes of Spain. nas. Cellar Selection. Price: $25 are definitely for you. Price: $47 abv: 14.5% abv: 14%

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