Photo by VIVC - Vitis International Variety Catalogue
Description
Tempranillo is the classic red grape of Spain, known in Rioja simply as Tempranillo, as Tinto del País or Tinto de Toro in other Spanish regions and as Cencibel in La Mancha; in Portugal it is called Tinta Roriz or Aragonez. DNA analysis shows it is a cross of Albillo Mayor and Benedicto. Its medium to very large bunches carry deep blue-black berries that make richly coloured, flavourful red wines when the crop is kept in check.
Characteristics
Black wine grape; medium to very large bunches; deep blue-black berries; early budbreak; vigorous; heat tolerant; colour and flavour drop if overcropped
Growing Tips
Tempranillo breaks bud early, so plant it away from frost pockets. It handles summer heat well and is vigorous, so a vertical shoot-positioned trellis with careful shoot thinning keeps the canopy balanced. It can carry big crops, but colour and flavour suffer if it overcrops, so thin bunches. Texas A&M also warns that it is susceptible to black rot, powdery and downy mildew and Pierce's disease, and that it takes up a lot of potassium, which can push wine pH high.