If you know us at Perspective, you know that we change things up frequently. We like our guests to have something new to explore each time you come visit. Many of our guests have enjoyed the Tempranillo flight, and it’s about to change. Here’s some details for what we’re pouring now…
From the root word “Temprano” meaning early, this grape ripens earlier than most red grapes. Known as the “Noble grape” in Spain it originated in the the Iberian Peninsula and was brought over by the Phoenicians. 80% of Tempranillo come from Spain, with 20% grown in Portugal, Australia, California, Argentina, and Texas. Believed to have been brought to New World by conquistadors, Tempranillo is now doing very well in the Hill Country and High Plains where soils compare to those in Northern Spain. This is one of the most widely planted grapes in Texas in recent years. This grape produces wines that are savory and masculine with notes of dark fruits, dried fig, leather, sweet tobacco leaf, vanilla and cigar box. You’ll notice a medium to full body with medium to high tannin structure and low acidity. With the body and tannin levels, this wine pairs with cured meats, B-B-Q, spicy and tomato-based dishes, Spanish-style tapas, and grilled vegetables. When enjoying these three Tempranillo together, consider serving pieces of beef jerky, BBQ potato chips and small bites of Manchego cheese.
C.L. Butaud 2015 Tempranillo – Texas High Plains ($48) – Winemaker Randy Hester left Texas in 2006 to learn wine making in Napa Valley. In 2009, he started the California label, Lightning Wines. But in 2011, he and his wife were itching to get back to Texas and started exploring options for wine making here. He named this new Texas label after his PawPaw and released the first vintage in 2014. They now live in Austin, and still keep both wine businesses going as separate projects. Currently this wine is only available for sale through his website clbutaud.com or from us! You’ll also find a list of restaurants carrying his wine on the website.
Rabble Wines 2014 Tempranillo – Paso Robles, California ($24) – The Rabble labels are renditions of historical wood block prints from the Nuremberg Chronicle of the late 1400’s, textured and tactile, depicting nature’s wrath. The label for their Tempranillo illustrates the Great Wave smashing into the Spanish Coast. This wine comes from the Mossfire Ranch Vineyard, planted in 1996 on steep hillsides. With a diurnal shift of 40 degrees, the extremities of the climate in this area creates fruit of uncommon concentration and richness. Consider downloading the free Rabble smart phone app to have their wine information handy at all times!
Volver 2015 Single Vineyard Tempranillo – La Mancha, Spain($27) – Bodega Volver was founded in Spain in 2004 by Rafael Carizares, a fourth generation wine maker. Their heritage vines range between 30 and 90 years and are cultivated with minimal intervention. This single vineyard wine is produced from vines in La Mancha, but they also create wines from the regions of Alicante, Jumilla, Rueda and Valencia.