What is Rioja / Tempranillo?
Rioja / Tempranillo is a red wine style best understood through its balance of fruit, freshness, body, tannin, sweetness and texture. Spanish red with red fruit, vanilla, leather and spice. Good with garlic chicken, lamb, roast meat, paprika and grilled dishes. Typical flavours include red cherry, plum, vanilla, leather, dill.
Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra
Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano
Spanish Red · 13-14.5%
Style profile
Grapes, regions and character
Rioja / Tempranillo is commonly associated with Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano. The grape choice shapes the wine’s aroma, structure, acidity, body and food-pairing personality. Classic regions include Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra.
Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra
Spain
What does Rioja / Tempranillo pair well with?
Pair Rioja / Tempranillo by matching the wine’s weight, acidity, sweetness and tannin to the dish. It works especially well with roast meat, garlic chicken, paprika dishes, lamb, hard cheese. It is usually less successful with very delicate fish or citrus desserts.
Best food matches
Pairings to avoid
What makes a good or bad Rioja / Tempranillo?
A good Rioja / Tempranillo should taste balanced, expressive and clean. Look for clear fruit, freshness, structure and a finish that suits the style. The acidity is usually medium, so the wine should feel lively without becoming harsh. The body is usually medium-full, so it should match the weight expected from this style.
A poor Rioja / Tempranillo can taste flat, tired, harsh, thin, overly sweet, too alcoholic or unbalanced. Avoid bottles where oak, bitterness, heat or sweetness dominate the fruit, freshness and structure.
When buying Rioja / Tempranillo, look for bottles where the region, grape and producer style match the food you want to cook. Useful countries to look at include Spain.
Serve Rioja / Tempranillo at around 15-17°C. Serving temperature matters because too warm can make wine feel heavy, while too cold can mute flavour.
