WineBuddTempranillo tasting notes: a worked example
See what a structured Tempranillo tasting note looks like, line by line, then fill in the blank sheet for the bottle in your glass.
A Tempranillo tasting note, line by line
This is a worked example of how a note can read for the typical style of the grape. It is not a review of one bottle. Your wine will differ, so write what you find.
| Line of the note | What a typical Tempranillo note says |
|---|---|
| Appearance Depth of colour | Medium. Wine Folly says colours range from medium ruby to garnet. A young, good example has a deep ruby-red hue with a bright red rim. |
| Nose Fruit | Cherry and raspberry, with strawberry in Decanter's description. Dried fig can appear. |
| Nose Oak and savoury | Vanilla and tobacco spice in oak-aged wines, says Decanter. Wine Folly also lists cedar and dill. Subtle savoury notes such as dried tomato or red pepper. |
| Nose With age | Leather. Wine Folly says Rioja at 20 years turns nutty and dried-fruit. |
| Palate Sweetness | Dry. |
| Palate Acidity | Medium-high. It should be noticeable. |
| Palate Tannin | Medium-high. |
| Palate Body | Medium-full. |
| Palate Alcohol | Usually 13.5 to 15% ABV. Check the label. |
| Conclusions Where it is from | It is Spain's most widely planted red grape. Rioja and Ribera del Duero are the best-known regions, and it is also called Tinta Roriz or Aragonês in Portugal. |
The same note in two sentences
Medium-high acidity and tannin, with a medium-full body. Cherry and a little dried fig on the nose, with vanilla and tobacco from oak. Structured and savoury.
What to look for
- Check the colour before you taste. Wine Folly says Tempranillo is not the deepest-coloured red, so a medium ruby or garnet is normal.
- Look for both fruit and savoury notes. Cherry sits alongside tobacco, dried tomato and leather.
- Oak ageing shapes the style. Vanilla and cedar point to time in oak, and Rioja labels classify wines partly by how long they aged.
Now write your own
Fill this in for the bottle in front of you. It saves on your device only. Nothing is sent to us.
Questions
What does Tempranillo taste like?
Typically cherry and strawberry, with vanilla, tobacco and dill from oak, and savoury notes. Medium-high tannin and acidity give it structure.
Is Tempranillo the grape in Rioja?
Yes. Decanter calls it the backbone of Rioja, and Wine Folly says Rioja made it famous. It is usually blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano.
How do I write a Tempranillo tasting note?
Work in the same order every time: look, nose, palate, then your conclusions. Judge the colour, name the fruit and the oak notes, then rate tannin, acidity and body. The blank sheet on this page follows that order.
Sources
The typical aromas, structure and regions above come from these grape guides.