Talk-A-Vino

And just like that, I almost miss another grape holiday. This time, it is Tempranillo Day!

Of course, you know this well by now – I like all the grapes. And I always say that there is one that I like the most – and every time I say it, it is a different grape.

Guilty as charged.

And yet, Tempranillo is really special.

You don’t have to read them, but just look at the names of some of my posts:

Magnificent Tempranillo

Tempranillo, Transposed

The Art of Tempranillo

Magnificent Rioja: CVNE Deep Dive

I think this qualifies as a pure expression of love, don’t you think?

I discovered the beauty of Tempranillo a long time ago, when I tasted a vertical of Rioja wines going all the way to 50+ years old. Rioja is one of my favorite expressions of Tempranillo, covered in this blog a countless number of times. Of course, Tempranillo is one of the major Spanish grapes, and it does very well in the US (Washington, California, Oregon, even the Hudson Valley), but if I can, I would always gravitate towards Rioja.

What I like about Rioja is that, in most cases, Rioja is predictable. Of course, it is great if you know the producer. La Rioja Alta, CVNE, Lopez de Heredia, Bodegas Lan, Bodegas Beronia, El Coto, Oscar Tobia – I will be happy to open a bottle with any of these names at any moment. But even when you don’t know the name, I would prefer to take my chances with an unknown Rioja rather than an unknown Chianti, an unknown Bordeaux, or an unknown Pinot Noir (oh, that might be the scariest of all).

Case in point. I’m currently in Stockholm, and at the restaurant, the wine list was short and without any names I could recognize. After an internal debate, I decided to take my chances with an unknown Rioja – and I didn’t regret my choice for a second, and neither did my dining companions.

2021 Bodegas Campillo Rioja Crianza DOC (14.5% ABV, 12 months in oak) was simply delicious. Fresh dark fruit on the nose, loads of dark fruit on the palate, cedar box, cherries, silky-smooth, roll-of-your-tongue goodness, medium to full body – a pure joy. Every sip was literally accompanied by the collective “ah”. You can call it pure luck, but I trusted my tempranillo, and the tempranillo didn’t disappoint.

Here you go, my friends. A grape holiday tribute to one of my favorite grapes – and the discovery of a new Rioja name.

How are you celebrating Tempranillo?