Tempranillo Day: 15 top award-winning wines to try

Tempranillo has emerged as one of the world’s most widely grown wine grapes after a dramatic surge in plantings over the past few decades.

Back in 1990, it was languishing in 24^th place in the global plantings table, behind the likes of Bobal, Criolla Grande and Rkatsiteli. Tempranillo has now rocketed up to third place, trailing only Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, following a fivefold expansion.

Spain drove most of that growth, as producers replaced vast swathes of the white Airén grape with Tempranillo. However, it’s firmly established in Portugal too, and it’s now thriving around the world, from Argentina to Australia.

Despite its scale, Tempranillo isn’t a household name among casual wine drinkers. It’s the quiet engine behind the famous reds of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, but Spanish labels tend to highlight the region rather than the grape. Each November, International Tempranillo Day puts the grape itself in the spotlight.

Why is Tempranillo Day on the second Thursday of November?

International Tempranillo Day falls on a Thursday, as restaurants and wine stores are often too busy to host events at weekends. The organisers chose the second week in November to avoid clashes with holidays like All Saints’ Day, the Day of the Dead and Thanksgiving.

The Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society – better known by its magnificent acronym, TAPAS – launched the day in 2011. The US-based group brings together producers and enthusiasts to champion Tempranillo and other Iberian grapes beyond their homeland.

What began as a US celebration has since grown into a global event, with wineries and retailers around the world marking the day. If you’re joining in on social media, the hashtag is #TempranilloDay.

Tempranillo’s origins

Tempranillo is native to northern Spain, and researchers trace its origins to the Ebro Valley, which runs through Rioja and Navarra.

DNA analysis published in 2012 revealed the grape to be a natural cross between Albillo Mayor, a white variety from central Spain, and Benedicto, an obscure red grape from Aragón. The findings also put to rest a long-held belief that Tempranillo was related to Pinot Noir.

Tempranillo takes its name from temprano, the Spanish word for early, as it ripens ahead of many other red grapes.

That head start allows it to thrive in high, continental vineyards, where hot days and cold nights let the grapes develop rich flavours while keeping their freshness. It also means growers can usually bring in the harvest before the weather turns in autumn.

From fresh to aged

A young Tempranillo tends to be bright and fruit-forward, but time spent ageing in the barrel and bottle can transform it into a mellow, complex red.

Across much of Spain, labels carry ageing terms that tell you what to expect. Joven wines are released young, with little or no oak, to showcase their fresh fruit. Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva signal ever-longer ageing, with each step bringing softer tannins and more complex notes of leather, tobacco and dried fruit.

The type of oak matters too. American oak, the traditional choice in Rioja, adds sweet notes of vanilla and coconut, while French oak tends to give subtler spice.

One grape, many names

Tempranillo goes by a host of local names across the Iberian Peninsula. It’s known as Tinto Fino or Tinta del País in Ribera del Duero, Tinta de Toro in Toro and Cencibel in La Mancha, while in Catalonia it goes by Ull de Llebre, meaning ‘hare’s eye’.

In Portugal, it’s called Tinta Roriz in the Douro, where it’s one of the key grapes in Port, and Aragonez in the Alentejo.

Tempranillo beyond Iberia

Away from Spain and Portugal, Tempranillo has found success in places with warm days, cool nights and plenty of sunshine. Argentina has one of the largest plantings outside Iberia, concentrated in Mendoza, where high-altitude vineyards produce ripe, plush reds. In Australia, regions such as McLaren Vale have embraced the grape for juicy, modern styles.

In the US, Southern Oregon and Washington’s Walla Walla Valley produce some of the most acclaimed examples. Texas has adopted Tempranillo as one of its leading reds, particularly in the high-altitude vineyards of the Texas High Plains. California, which grew it for decades under the name Valdepeñas, has also seen renewed interest.

Producers outside Iberia tend to follow their own paths, from fresh, unoaked styles to rich, barrel-aged reds. Whether you prefer a fresh, fruity young red or a mellow wine that has spent years maturing, there’s a Tempranillo to suit. On the second Thursday of November, open a bottle, share it with friends and raise a glass to one of the world’s great red grapes.

Scroll down to discover 15 award-winning Tempranillo dominant wines from DWWA 2026

Tempranillo Day: 96+ point wines to try

Condado De Haza, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2021
Best in Show, 97 points
Ribera del Duero makes it into our Best In Show selection for the third time in a row this year, and the second time as a red wine. This is, in colour terms, the deepest of all our Top 50 reds: midnight black and opaque almost to the rim. Aromatically, it's an arrow bound for the bullseye, without any exaggeration of oak or flamboyant overripeness of fruit: pure, sumptuous, inviting, sweetly refined and packed with brooding fruits. On the palate, too, it is soft and sensual, tender and teasing, ample yet harmonious – and almost a meal in itself in terms of its breadth and dimensions. There's plenty of sustaining high-altitude acidity to keep the wine brisk, while the tannins have an energy and an edge to them too – which is just what those ample black fruits need. It lingers on the tongue, and the finish hints at savoury developments to come. If, that is, you can keep your hands off it for now… Alcohol 14.5%

Arzuaga, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Red plums and cherries open the nose with an undercurrent of cedar and graphite lending a savoury edge to the pencil shaving texture. Mellow chocolate tannins and juicy acidity enhance the firm structure. Very complete wine. Alc 14.5%

Bodegas Olarra, Nucerro, Gran Reserva, Rioja 2020
Platinum, 97 points
All aspects melted in: delicate rose petal, dark plum, cherry and berry aromatics coalesce alongside the sumptuous cedar oak and graphite mineral structure. Evolving yet still youthful, a puzzle which should not be taken apart. Alc 13.5%

Campillo, 57 Selección Especial, Rioja 2019
Platinum, 97 points
A timeless classic showing power and elegance in equal measure. Red plums and cherries billow over the savoury mineral core, laden with polished tannins and luxurious creamy texture. A charismatic paprika piquance frames the finish. Alc 14.5%

El Coto, Coto De Imaz, Gran Reserva, Rioja 2020
Platinum, 97 points
A modern, classy style, encompassing plump black cherry and cassis over charcoal and coffee tones. The strong oak backbone is surrounded by curvaceous tannins and linear acidity that lifts and builds towards the lengthy finish. Alc 14%

Finca Rodma, Gran Rodma, Ribera del Duero 2022
Platinum, 97 points
Densely packed with smoky oolong tea on the nose and a red plum and damson ripeness soaring through the palate. Driven and dynamic with a flawless union of oak and fruit yielding a wonderful age-worthy future. Alc 14.5%

Marqués De Cáceres, Gaudium, Reserva, Rioja 2021
Platinum, 97 points
Packed with ambition and guile, bestowing the palate with voluptuous black cherry compote, smoky chocolate oak and peppered mushrooms. Fulsome and structured with powerful tannins and fabulous igniting acidity rippling through. Made for the long run. Alc 14.5%

Monteabellón, Finca Matambres, Ribera del Duero 2021
Platinum, 97 points
Highley expressive and enveloping; black cherry jam, violet and coffee aromas sink into the plush oaky core beset with rich goulash and black pepper indulgence. Fulsome and velvety with cosseting tannins and a savouring finish. Alc 15%

Tobelos, Tahon, Reserva, Rioja 2019
Platinum, 97 points
Truly exceptional, with boundless energy and vitality. The initial focus of red and black fruit and attractive floral aromas is broadened by the lavish graphite structure and pliant tannins. Succulent acidity enchants the abiding length. Alc 14%

Valduero, 6 Años Reserva Premium, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2019
Platinum, 97 points
A veritable kaleidoscope of aroma with sage and lavender wafting under the nose, closely followed by a surge of plum, fig and crème de cassis firing up the perfectly constructed palate. Lavish cedar oak adds breadth. Alc 14%

Viña Salceda, Picopalomares, Rioja 2023
Platinum, 97 points
Sensational floral, red fruit and spicy perfume invokes effortless charm and charisma. Ample and juicy with compact, powdery tannins and a brilliant acidity that permeates the texture giving freshness and longevity. An impeccable well-crafted blend. Alc 14.5%

Conde De San Cristóbal, Reserva Especial, Reserva, Ribera del Duero 2020
Gold, 96 points
Hedgerow fruit inured with floral intrigue in a frame of structured oak. Velveteen and plush with grippy tannins and a savoury twist at the end. Alc 14%

Finca Museum, Numerus Clausus, Cigales 2020
Gold, 96 points
Pretty black fruit with floral undertones plushly upholstered in mocha coffee oak and lavish leathery texture. Brilliant redcurrant acidity bursts through and infuses the long finish. Alc 14.5%

Pago De Los Capellanes, Reserva Ribera del Duero 2022
Gold, 96 points
High-tone aromatics of sun-ripened cherries and berries in a dark chocolate frame. Rich and full with sleek tannins, creamy texture and a coffee bean finish. Alc 15.5%

Portia, Alta, Ribera del Duero 2023
Gold, 96 points
Deep and dense emitting a sense of latent power. Limpid, livening acidity cuts across the onyx fruit texture, black tea tannins and clove spice length. Alc 14.5%

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