International Tempranillo Day Date in the current year: November 14, 2024

Tempranillo is a red wine grape variety native to the Iberian Peninsula, i.e. Spain and Portugal. Its name is a diminutive of the word temprano, which is translated from Spanish as “early”. The name refers to the fact that Tempranillo ripens earlier than most other red grapes grown in Spain.

The history of Tempranillo can be traced back to the Phoenician civilization, which means that this grape variety is thousands of years old. Outside of its native Spain, Tempranillo is widely grown in wine-making countries all over the world. Vineyards growing Tempranillo can be found in Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, France, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, and other countries.

However, Spain has historically remained the main Tempranillo-growing country; almost 90% of the world’s Tempranillo is grown there. It is the most planted red grape variety of Spain and the main grape variety used to produce Rioja blends.

Tempranillo can be used to make medium to full-bodied varietal wines with notes of red fruit, berries, plum, fig, vanilla, tobacco, cedar, leather, and spice. Tempranillo wines pair well with roasted and grilled meat, cured meats such as jamon and prosciutto, pizza, lasagna, and aged Parmesan cheese.

However, Tempranillo is more frequently used to produce blended wines due to the grape’s relatively neutral profile resulting from its low acidity and sugar content; it is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan (Mazuelo), Graciano, Grenache (Garnacha), and Merlot. In Portugal, Tinta Roriz (the Portuguese name for Tempranillo) is mainly used to make port wines.

International Tempranillo Day was launched in 2011 by TAPAS (Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society), a non-profit trade association that unites more than 100 wineries, growers, and friends (amigos) who seek to promote Tempranillo and other Iberian grape varieties, and wines produced from them in North America.

International Tempranillo Day events include winery tours, wine tastings, seminars, and social media campaigns that aim to promote Tempranillo among consumers and give exposure to small wineries that make wines from Iberian grapes. The holiday is celebrated on a Thursday because restaurants and wine stores are usually too busy over the weekend to hold special events.

The best way to celebrate International Tempranillo Day is, of course, to have a glass of Tempranillo. You can go out to a wine bar or restaurant, invite your friends over for a dinner accompanied by Tempranillo, or simply share a bottle of wine with your loved one. Other ways to celebrate include reading a book or watching a documentary about the history of wine-making in Spain and spreading the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtags #TempranilloDay and #InternationalTempranilloDay.