Let`s hear it for Tempranillo!

Think I have a nice selection in the cellar but will look out for some more this year. Here is a very informative write up from HRH JR!

https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/gr ... empranillo.

Are forumites keen to be temped this year?

I'm surprised that a person as expert as Jancis R seems to denigrate somewhat old style Rioja. In particular there are a couple of very dubious statements -

For a long time Tempranillo was ignored by the outside world as a slightly rustic northern Spanish grape of strictly local appeal.

And-

Until the 1990s most red rioja tasted more of oak than grapes.

The best Rioja has never been rustic. Dale's very recent thread Rioja 1942- 1996 at Noreetuh testifies to that and he mentions obtrusive oak only with one or two. It can be countered that these are exceptional wines of an age sufficient for integration. However, I drank a lot of 60s Rioja in visits to Spain in the 70s and there was plenty of fruit and IIRC only fairly modest oak presence on wines like Marques de Riscal crianza (then incredibly cheap and stunning QPR at c.200 Ptas = €1,20).

Furthermore, I have found a quite disconcerting oak presence on some "modern" Rioja. I remember a line-up of youngish Roda in which none, IMO, were pleasant to drink because of burgeoning oak, albeit probably French, and I have earmarked some bottles of Contino 2014 for drinking after 2022 at the earliest. Fortunately there are others which see little or no oak and are delicious young.

AFAIK I have never drunk a wine made 100% from Tempranillo.

[David M. Bueker]

Tempranillo is on the Wine Focus schedule for September.

Sorry for the long wait.

I'm with Tim on this. We drank red Rioja over the years and didn't find it over oaky. Marques Caceres was a reliable find in a restaurant, seemed to offer more fruit and a silky mouthfeel over clarets in the same price range.

Too long since I had Caceres tho',

Re Tempranillo - I am finding it increasingly being planted in the New World with great success. Had superb Tempranillo from BC, Canada and a lovely one from Texas. I showed an Australian one at a recent tasting I had of 'Stars of Tomorrow'.

I adore old-school Rioja. CVNE and Muga still seem to be carrying the banner.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Too long since I had Caceres tho',

Had the '15 just a few weeks ago at a NYE party where a wine blogger who isn't much into European wines apologetically dumped it on the table as something to drink later when everyone's drunk. I leaped on it with delight--the other options were mostly commonplace Washington wines and the two nicer wines I'd brought were already gone. Couldn't have been happier--the '15's VERY nice.

Re Tempranillo - I am finding it increasingly being planted in the New World with great success. Had superb Tempranillo from BC, Canada and a lovely one from Texas. I showed an Australian one at a recent tasting I had of 'Stars of Tomorrow'.

You'll find it when you visit Walla Walla, too. Two that I like a lot are Gramercy's brilliantly-named "Inigo Montoya" bottling (I believe from the Les Collines vineyard) and No Girls, a Cayuse offshoot from the Rocks. Very different, minimal oak, very enjoyable IMO.

[Jenise]

Ditto, Bruce. Would also throw in a big shout-out for Pomum. Owner/winemaker is Spanish married to an American, and they've planted their own vineyards with vines/clones brought over from Spain. It's the best I've had from Washington (while admitting I've not had the Gramercy). Best PNW Tempranillo so far, though? From Idaho, of all things.