Winemaker Notes
Dark cherry red with purple highlights. Fragrant and intense, with deep fruit notes (raspberry) against a licorice backdrop. A fine, velvety, warm palate with a touch of sweetness.
Wonderful with meat, and a perfect match for creamy cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Launched back in 1954 by Miguel Torres Carbó, in very different times. It’s made mainly from Garnacha and Cariñena, varieties that went firmly out of fashion for their apparent rusticity. While they are right back in fashion, ‘Bull’s Blood’ never wavered. What has been updated – along with the screwcap closure – is the style. It’s fresher, juicier, more Mediterranean.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
The Moors gave it the name, ‘Manxa,’ which fittingly means ‘parched earth.’ La Mancha, the largest Spanish wine producing region in all of Spain, is one of its hottest and driest. Sturdy and drought-resistant white varieietes like Airen, Viura and Verdejo thrive in this environment.