I love tempranillo but have to admit I don’t think I’ve had any US tempranillo. I know Abacela in Southern Oregon has gotten good press, but are there other US tempranillos that you like or recommend? I’ve read that some of the California ones are different than the Spanish ones in style, but I’d still be curious to hear what people like. I’d like to stick to the $40 or less price range, but if there are expensive ones out there that are fantastic, I’d love to hear about them. Thanks
Gramercy makes one; I haven’t had it, but all their other wines I’ve had are top-notch.
Bit of an unusual location… but Murrieta’s Well in Livermore makes one, and I think it’s one of their better wines, and one of the better wines in the region (i think the Spanish and Portuguese grapes may well do well there). More in the vein of a modern Rioja rather than the classic producers.
The Gramercy version is called Inigo Montoya. Nice wine. Cayuse does a tempranillo called Impulviso. $75 but absolutely stellar.
Tom
There’s an organization called TAPAS (Tempranillo Advocates, Producers, and Amigos Society) that promotes “Tempranillo and other varietal wine grapes native to the Iberian Peninsula, and wines produced from them in North America.” They have a big tasting every year in San Francisco. If you take a look at the website listed on my Wine Berserkers profile (for my reports on the Grape-Nutz.com site) you’ll find several reports on those TAPAS tastings, with notes on quite a few US-produced Tempranillos as well as other wines from Iberian grape varieties.
I actually just tasted another nice Tempranillo over the weekend, from Grace Patriot Wines in El Dorado County in the Sierra Foothills. I had never tried their wines before, and I thought the Tempranillo was the standout of their line-up.
Sucks in general. The best I’ve had? 1987 Justin Tempranillo Gran Reserva at dinner at the winery restaurant in 2002.
Epoch in Paso Robles makes one. I have a bottle of the '08 but haven’t tried it yet, though it has had good reviews.
The Gramercy one is the best I’ve had by a mile. The problem is the cost. You can get similar Spanish examples for considerably less, and if you climb the ladder price-wise, you can get into some Gran Reservas with bottle age which blow these to bits. It would be a great grape for Washington if someone could figure out how to make a good, everyday example which could be sold for around $20. Seven Hills tried to do a cheaper one and while I love that producer, I did not like that wine. Mike Dildine is a big fan of Villa Creek in California, and I think they make one, he could probably add some detail.
I have not personally had it but I know several people who enjoy Twisted Oak’s The Spaniard. The current vintage retails for ~$50 but it’s occasionally discounted- I picked up a pair for just north of $30 last week on Lot18.
Heart’s Desire, fruit from The Sierra Foothills.
Some Texas wineries have been experimenting with Tempranillo as being better suited to our hot climate. A few years ago, before I started collecting more seriously, I had an Inwood Estates Tempranillo-Cabernet blend that I thought was pretty interesting. I recently bought a bottle of the '09 to see whether I still agree, but haven’t cracked it yet. CT notes, though sparse, have been pretty positive over the last few vintages.
I enjoyed a bottle from New Clairvaux Vyd St. James (Vina, California). Good tempranillo typicity and fairly priced at $14.
The owners are Cistercian monks and the vineyard figured in Leland Stanford’s effort to make world class wine back in the 1890’s.
It’s been a few years since I’ve had it, but Twisted Oak also does a straight Temperanillo that is in the $25 range. Actually holds up well to a little age.
Haven’t tried Epoch but heard it’s great.
Ones I’ve tried and liked:
- Curran
- Verdad
- Longoria
- Four Vines
- Justin
Villa Creek makes a Tempranillo-heavy blend called “Mas de Maha” that’s pretty good.
The best Tempranillo I’ve ever had: from Graves Winegrowers, the folks who farm the vineyard from which Cris Cherry (of Villa Creek) sources his Tempranillo for his “Mas de Maha”. The name of the vineyard is “Ohana Vineyard.” The name of the Graves wine is “Cosmic Scout,” and it’s actually a Tempranillo - Grenache - Mourvedre blend. (Graves also makes a killer Mourvedre).
A few years ago I did have a bottle of the Justin Tempranillo Reserve (mentioned by Brent upthread, but a different vintage than he had) and I thought it was good, but unremarkable.
I have really liked the tempranillo from Gramercy. FWIW, served it to a friend from Spain and he pushed away his Rioja to drink the Gramercy first. I have also liked the tempranillo from Kerloo. Not quite as good as Gramercy but also cheaper, $30 vs. $45.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I’ll try to track some down, but Anthony makes a great point that I’ve read elsewhere. Why buy a $40 US version when you can get great Rioja for the same price or less? In any event, I’m curious to branch out and taste some non-Spanish ones and now I have someplace to start. Your suggestions are all greatly appreciated.
Artesa makes a tempranillo that I really enjoyed some years ago. It’s available from them online. No affiliation, just a fan.
You might prefer French oak to American oak?
And there’s that…