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Region Hierarchy |
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Climate(s) |
Hot Continental |
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Notes |
Higher altitude (850m). Short, hot dry summers and very cold winters. Warm days and cool nights allowing Tempranillo to ripen while retaining acidity.
Long macerations and short aging in French and American oak
Duero Valley Region notes: Large diurnal range
Spain notes: Joven, Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva relate to ageing periods. |
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Links |
Wiki |
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Grape(s) |
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Color |
Grape |
Notes |
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Red |
Cabernet Sauvignon Grape |
Grape notes: High tannins due to thick skin. Buds late and needs a long growing season. Often blended with Merlot to gain softness. Usually destemmed and crushed. |
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Red |
Grenache / Grenacha Grape |
Grape notes: Often used to make Roses. Often blended with Syrah or Tempranillo. Thin skin; late ripening. Garnacha in Spain; all elsewhere Grenache. Resistant to heat. |
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Red |
Malbec Grape |
Grape notes: Often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot. Originally from France. |
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Red |
Merlot Grape |
Grape notes: Aroma/Flavors vary according to ripeness. Often blended with Cab. Sauvignon to add softness. Buds and ripens early. |
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Red |
Tempranillo Grape |
Widely planted
Grape notes: Sometimes blended with Garnacha. Traditionally, aged in new oak. Needs significant heat to fully ripen. |
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Wines(s) |
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Type |
Wine |
Notes |
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Still Red |
Rioja Wine |
Very full bodied with fresh black fruit flavors. Often 100% Tempranillo. Can age for many years.
Wine notes: Can be simple or complex. Sometimes blended with local varieties, too. Often vigorous cap management to extract flavor and color. |
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Still Rosé |
Grenache / Grenacha Rose Wine |
Dry |
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