Spain’s Favorite Son Comes to California

Of the sixteen or seventeen so-called "noble grape" varietals, all but four happen to be French. Italy has two: Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. Germany has only Riesling, but shares Gewürztraminer with Alsace. Spain has one: Tempranillo. No one else has any. It's no wonder that French grapes have dominated the wine industry worldwide from the beginning.

But this traditional view is rapidly changing. In recent years the Veneto region of Italy has produced absolutely stunning wines in Soave from Garganega grapes. The rich Amarone wines from the same region are all made from "non-noble" varietals. Unbelievably rich and complex red wines from Garnacha are flowing out of the Spanish region of Priorat. We will surely have to reassess our notions of the supremecy of the French varietals.

But for now, let's take note of what's been happening to Spain's single acknlowledged noble grape - Tempranillo. This has been the primary varietal behind all the red wines of the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions in Spain. It's always been thought of as similar to the Italian grape of Chianti, Sangiovese, because of its medium body and color; and because it has traditionally been blended with other varietals to bring the finished wine up to snuff. In Chianti winemakers can choose from four or five helping varietals, including the white Trebbiano. In the Rioja the choice is narrower and there are no approved white varietals. In the Duero the main helper is Cabernet Sauvignon, much to the chagrin of many loyal Spanish winemakers.

Only in recent years has truly world class wine been made from pure Tempranillo. The best examples come from Bodega Alejandro Fernandez in the Duero and are marketed under the names Pesquera and Condado de Haza-Alenza; they'll set you back around a hundred dollars each and compare favorably to other wines in this stratospheric price category.

Tempranillo, previously unknown outside Spain, Portugal, and Argentina, has found a new home in California. Since many of the vineyards of California lie at the same latitude as Spain and enjoy a similar climate, California winemakers are beginning to experiment with the Tempranillo grape. For now, the acreage of Tempranillo in California is minuscule, but you'll be seeing more and more wines made from pure Tempranillo, or with Tempranillo in the blend. Bodega Santo Tomás in Baja California (Mexico) began making Tempranillo in 1992. Castoro Cellars released an excellent 100% Tempranillo last year, made from Paso Robles fruit. This year saw a number of unusual Tempranillo blends from Pagor: Sangre de la Tierra (60% Tempranillo/40% Petite Sirah) and Santa Barbara Barbera (75% Barbera/25% Tempranillo).

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