November 12 All day
From Spain the the Texas High Plains
International Tempranillo Day is Thursday, November 12, and we are raising a glass to one of Spain’s signature red grapes, a variety that has also found a home in our family vineyards in the Texas High Plains.
This year, we are celebrating with our 2021 Tempranillo and introducing our 2022 Reserve Tempranillo.
A Grape with Deep Spanish Roots
Tempranillo is Spain’s most widely planted red grape and is especially important in regions such as Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Its name comes from the Spanish word temprano, meaning “early,” because Tempranillo ripens earlier than many traditional Spanish varieties.
In Rioja, Tempranillo is considered the region’s characteristic red grape and can be used for everything from youthful, fruit-forward wines to reds intended for long aging. In Ribera del Duero, the same grape is often called Tinto Fino or Tinta del País, where it is the principal variety behind the region’s red wines.
Those two regions also show why Tempranillo can be so interesting. The grape does not produce exactly the same wine everywhere it grows. Rioja is famous for beautifully age-worthy Tempranillo, while Ribera del Duero’s climate, with cold winters, hot summers and strong shifts between daytime and nighttime temperatures, can produce richer, more structured wines.
A Few Tempranillo Facts
- Its name means “little early one.” The name comes from temprano, referring to its relatively early ripening.
- One grape, many names. In different parts of Spain you may encounter Tempranillo as Tinto Fino, Tinta del País, Tinta de Toro, Cencibel or Ull de Llebre.
- The vines put on their own autumn show. Tempranillo leaves can turn a vivid red in the fall.
- There is even a white Tempranillo. Tempranillo Blanco is a natural mutation of red Tempranillo first discovered in Rioja in 1988.
For an approachable deeper dive into the grape, Wine Folly has an excellent guide to Tempranillo, including its Spanish growing regions, aging styles and food pairings.
Tempranillo, Grown in Texas
At Bingham Family Vineyards, we grow Tempranillo in our family vineyards in the Texas High Plains and produce our wines at our winery in Meadow. Our wines are 100% estate grown, produced and bottled, giving us the opportunity to follow the wine from vineyard to bottle.
The Texas High Plains gives Tempranillo a very different home from its historic vineyards in Spain. Here, we grow it in fine sandy loam soils at high elevation, under broad skies and in a climate that can move quickly from summer heat to very cold winter weather. Tempranillo is one of our earlier-ripening red grapes, often reaching harvest about three weeks after Viognier, one of our earliest white varieties.
Is Tempranillo the Red Grape of Texas?
Tempranillo is often mentioned as a contender for the title of Texas’s signature red grape. Around our table, it has certainly made a convincing argument.
We have an informal measure we call the “empty bottle test.” At the end of an evening when several wines have been opened, we cork the unfinished bottles to enjoy another day. Tempranillo is often the bottle that does not need a cork. It is already empty, enjoyed by enough people around the table that there is simply none left to save.
But whether Tempranillo will truly become the red grape of Texas is a question only more time will answer. It can make wonderful wine, and its relatively early ripening is certainly useful in our climate. At the same time, Tempranillo does not always appreciate the cold winter weather we can experience on the Texas High Plains.
Growers are continuing to learn more about which rootstocks and clones may be best suited to our conditions. Those choices, and many more years in the vineyard, will help determine Tempranillo’s long-term place in Texas.
For now, we know this much: it makes wine people seem very happy to finish.
2021 Tempranillo
Our 2021 Tempranillo offers ripe red fruit and strawberry notes with herbs, spice, mineral tones and soft floral notes. Its structured tannins and good acidity make it a particularly food-friendly red.
Classic pairings include tomato-based dishes, barbecue, paella and Manchego cheese. For something a little different, try it with pork belly grits or a grilled tomato and cheese sandwich.
The 2021 Tempranillo earned Bronze at the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Uncorked International Wine Competition.
Introducing the 2022 Reserve Tempranillo
International Tempranillo Day also gives us the opportunity to introduce our 2022 Reserve Tempranillo, the newest Estate Reserve vintage of this Spanish variety grown here in the Texas High Plains.
Alongside the 2021 Tempranillo, it offers another way to explore what Tempranillo can become in our vineyards and winery.
Celebrate Tempranillo Day with Bingham
Whether Tempranillo is already a favorite or you usually reach for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or another familiar red, November 12 is a good excuse to explore a grape with centuries of Spanish history and a growing story here in Texas.
Visit us in Meadow, Hye or Grapevine, explore Bingham wines online, or find our wines at select retailers and restaurants around Texas.
Truly Texas, from soil to song.
Blessings,
Betty