Tempranillo

Question 1

Describe the typical characteristics of Tempranillo:
-Body
-Acidity
-Tannins
-Flavours

Answer 1

-Medium to full ody
-Medium acidity
-Medium tannins
-Red fruit flavours (strawberry, red cherry) and black fruit (blackberry, black plum)

Question 2

For Tempranillo wines intended for long-term aging, what will winemakers do to increase their ability to age?

Answer 2

Blend in small proportions of other grapes to increase acidity and tannins

Question 3

It’s traditional in many parts of Spain to age Tempranillo wines in small new oak barrels. What will be the impact on the wine?

Answer 3

Secondary flavours (vanilla, smoke, cedar)
Soften tannins

Question 4

True or false: It’s rare for Tempranillo based wines in Spain to be aged in bottle before release.

Answer 4

False.
It’s common for a producer’s best wines top be aged in bottle before release.

Question 5

Name the large Spanish wine region which produces a high volume of Tempranillo and Tempranillo based wines, from simple and fruity to more powerful.

Answer 5

Catalunya DO

Question 6

Which grape variety is sometimes blended with Tempranillo in Rioja DOCa?

Answer 6

Garnacha

Question 7

Why are grape varieties other than Tempranillo important in Rioja wines which are intended for long ageing?

Answer 7

Other varieties can provide acidity and tannins (which Tempranillo and Garnacha lack)

Question 8

Name the 4 labelling terms relating to minimum ageing requirements in Spain, from least amount of ageing to most amount of ageing required before release.

Answer 8

Joven/Genérico
Crianza
Reserva
Gran Reserva

Question 9

True or false: The wines of Ribera del Duero are medium bodied, simple and fruity wines made from Tempranillo.

Answer 9

False.
Very full bodied Tempranillo based wines with black fruit flavours

Question 10

True or false: A wine with primary fruit flavours only, derived from the grape variety used, is likely to be labelled with the term Crianza.

Answer 10

False.
Joven or Genérico best describes this wine.
A wine labelled Crianza would have secondary flavours from oak (vanilla, smoke, coconut) alongside the primary flavours.

Question 11

True or false: A wine labelled Reserva will have complex layers of primary fruit flavours, secondary oak-derived flavours (vanilla, smoke, coconut) and tertiary notes (dried fruit, mushrooms).

Answer 11

True.
Because it has been aged for extended periods before release, both in oak barrels and in bottle.

Question 12

Name a labelling term which might appear on a Spanish wine which has flavours dominated by tertiary aromas as well as some secondary flavours, due to extended ageing before release?

Answer 12

Gran Reserva