Nothing pairs better with wintery comfort food than a well-crafted, red wine. While Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends often are top of mind for many red wine drinkers, wines made from Tempranillo don’t seem to get the same immediate consideration. Yet, the versatility of Tempranillo makes it a perfect partner for savory pork, hearty bean stews, and even meatless starter courses like sauteed mushroom on crunchy bread. Grown all over Spain, Tempranillo’s ability to show a sense of place and expression of terroir is apparent; cooler climates will naturally be lighter in style, while warmer, sunnier regions bring power, weight and firm tannin structure creating full-bodied sippers. On the retail shelves, one can find both oaked and unoaked expressions of Tempranillo with the former being built to age a bit and the latter for a drink-now option. Regardless of the style of red you like; Tempranillo producers have a wine for you. Here are some of my favorite producers from one of my favorite areas of the wine world, Spain.
Numanthia delivers power and elegance from a climatically demanding region. As the locals say, “Toro’s climate is best described as nine months of winter followed by three months of hell.” The region’s sandy soil is naturally immune to phylloxera and many of Numantha’s ungrafted Tempranillo (Tinto de Toro) vines are more than 120 years old. Dry-farming, low density planting, berry-by-berry harvesting, and 18 months of French oak aging help to create an age-worthy wine with flavors of ripe blueberries, black currants, cinnamon, nutmeg and graphite. This wine is a member of Grandes Pagos de España, a designation for top quality and expression of terroir.
Bodegas Aalto is crafted at a modern, gravity-fed winery built just 20 years ago into a hillside in Ribera del Duero. With more than 200 vineyard plots of Tinto Fino (Tempranillo) across nine distinctly different municipalities, winemaker Mariano Garcia Fernandez blends grapes reflecting the breadth of terroir expression of Ribera del Duero into a fine red wine that is full-bodied yet fresh with an intense aromatic profile. Also, a member of Grandes Pagos de España.
Alonso del Yerro is a family owned and operated winery in Ribera del Duero. What sets it apart from other wines in the region is not only an emphasis on quality over quantity, but also the use of vinification techniques that create a more elegant, understated flavor profile that many of its regional counterparts. Restrained fruit extraction combined with 12 months aging in used French oak yields a wine that is fresh, aromatic and balanced with silky tannins. Best yet. Maria is the current president of the Grandes Pagos de España.
Finca Valpiedra vineyards terrace up spectacularly from the banks of the Ebro River. Surrounded by water on three sides, the vineyards are covered entirely by potato-sized river rocks, much like the one featured on their emblematic label. Valpiedra Reserva is approximately 90% Tempranillo with Graciano and Maturana Tinta rounding out the balance to add spicy notes to the long finish. Aged 24 months in French oak, this Rioja wine offers high intensity, complexity with and elegant balance of fruit and toasty notes. This wine is a proud member of the Grandes Pagos de España.
CVNE was founded in 1879 as Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España and has been run by the same family for five generations. Marketed under the erroneous yet more pronounceable brand name Cune, their flagship wines are 85% Tempranillo with the balance a mix of Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo. These classic Rioja Alta wines provide a great expression of aging from Crianza (2 years),to Reserva (3 years) to Gran Reserva (5 years).
La Rioja Alta stands by the principle that high quality is only possible with limited production. With a nod to the year of their founding, 1890, La Rioja Gran Reserva 890 is absolutely classic. Hand-harvested Tempranillo and Mazuelo are fermented together with Graciano, vinified separately, added to complete the blend. After six years of aging, only the best barrels are selected for bottling. This wine is incredibly complex with notes of raisin and black plum meshed with subtle aromas of cedar, dark chocolate, nutmeg, tea leaves and vanilla. A premium quality wine with a price point to match.
We are currently looking to plan a trip to Spain to visit many of the above wineries and more in Fall, 2026. If you are interested in learning more about that trip as it develops, feel free to reach out to [email protected].
