| Tempranillo is the premium red wine grape variety | | | | Wine Companion 2005 is from Manton's Creek |
| from the Rioja region in Spain. It is now challenging | | | | Vineyard in the Mornington Peninsula. Casella |
| Sangiovese as the up and coming star of the red | | | | Wines, the makers of the hugely successful |
| varietal wine scene in Australia. | | | | [yellowtail] range are also interested in the variety. |
| New plantings throughout Australian wine regions | | | | They received a silver medal for a 2003 |
| over the past five years are just coming into | | | | Tempranillo at the Australian Alternative Varieties |
| bearing. In fact on a percentage basis Tempranillo | | | | Wine Show 2004. |
| is growing in popularity more rapidly than any | | | | The obvious food match for this wine variety is |
| other variety. | | | | to go with Spanish style dishes. A lighter bodied |
| What makes this variety so exciting? Well, it | | | | Tempranillo would go well with tapas, those |
| makes wines which have good colour and good | | | | delightful little snacks that originally were designed |
| fruit flavours along with low acid and low tannins. | | | | for accompanying sherry. A little plate of olives, |
| This adds up to an easy drinking style. The wine | | | | some prawns and a few slices of Chorizo sausage |
| also goes well with American oak. | | | | may just what is needed. |
| In the vineyard the variety has a short growing | | | | The Spanish also love jamon, dry cured ham. |
| season which makes it suitable for cooler areas. | | | | Many bars in Spain have dozens of hams hanging |
| In Spain the variety is the backbone of the wines | | | | up and there is always a ham in a special rack |
| of the Rioja and the Ribera del Duero regions in | | | | ready to be thinly carved for a snack to |
| Northern and Central Spain. In these regions it is | | | | accompany a glass of wine. Sheep farming is a |
| often blended with Graciano or Cabernet | | | | major industry in the in the Rioja and the Ribera |
| sauvignon playing a minor role. It is a component | | | | del Duero regions. Hence grilled and especially |
| of Ribera del Duero's famous Vega Sicilia, the | | | | roast lamb are local specialties, as well as the ideal |
| Spanish equivalent to Grange. | | | | accompaniment to Tempranillo. Sheep milk |
| In Portugal the variety is used as a minor | | | | cheeses, roast stuffed peppers and vegetable |
| component in port, and some red table wines. | | | | casseroles would also be enhanced by a glass or |
| Elsewhere in the world the major plantings are in | | | | two of these fine wines. |
| Argentine and California. In the latter region it is | | | | What then can we expect in future from |
| called Valdepenas and is regarded as unsuitable for | | | | Tempranillo in Australia? It is an interesting fact is |
| making fine wine. | | | | that the variety is being tried in many wine |
| Tempranillo has taken off in Australia only in the | | | | regions. Virtually all of the plantings in Australia are |
| past few years. Brown Brothers have been a | | | | new and the vineyard managers and winemakers |
| pioneer of the variety, but there are now over | | | | are just starting to climb the learning curve. |
| 50 producers in about half of Australia's sixty wine | | | | Some enthusiasts say Tempranillo is the next big |
| regions. Although McLaren Vale has the highest | | | | thing in Australian red wines; others think that the |
| number of producers variety is widely planted | | | | Italian variety Sangiovese will triumph. The next |
| throughout the mainland Australian wine regions. | | | | few years will tell, in the meantime there will be |
| The highest rated Tempranillo in James Halliday's | | | | some interesting wines to try. |