A Tempranillo Tasting

Lloyd Green
Mar 14, 2016
2 min read

SPANISH CONQUEST

Next stop on our round-the-world wine adventure is the world’s third largest wine producer, Spain. So far we've enjoyed the world famous Brunello of Italy and the iconic Penfolds label from Australia. Now strap yourselves in for a fun-filled evening at Drift Dining and Bar as we immerse ourselves in arguably Spain’s most famous native grape, Tempranillo.

Tempranillo is the most planted red grape in all of Spain and is a vibrant, aromatic varietal that offers spicy, red berry and plum aromas and flavours. It is an early-ripening variety (temprano meaning early in Spanish) and adapts to a variety of climates. As a result people often confuse it as a hybrid from France between Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.

Tempranillo is synonymous with three famed wine growing regions of Spain: Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro. The diversity of each lends itself to unique terroirs and vintages — that is the grape mutates and adapts itself to each environment producing a unique character.

So vast is its popularity and durability, Tempranillo wines go by many different aliases; Ull de Llebre or Ojo de Llebre in Catalonia, Cencibel in La Mancha, Tinto in Ribera del Duero, Tinto de La Rioja in Rioja, Tinto del Toro in Toro and Aragonez in Portugal. It is also commonly seen in California and Australia.

The elevated northern location of Rioja generates an elegant, fleet-footed expression of Tempranillo, thriving with cool nights and slow ripening.

Ribera del Duero, south and west of Rioja, has a very compressed, highly-concentrated growing season and produces higher levels of ripeness than Rioja.

The Toro region is the hottest, most continental climate of the three, situated near Portugal. It yields wines of incredible opulence and black-fruited concentration; traditionally very robust in manner as per the region’s name Toro, meaning bull. This will be the focus of this months tasting.

DRIFT DINING AND BAR

Uncorked: A Tempranillo Tasting

When: Tuesday, March 22 @ 7pm-9pm

Where: Drift Dining and Bar, 38 Jalan Bedara, Ground Floor Bidara Condo, Bukit Bintang

See our list of Tempranillo wines to be tasted at our Uncorked session:

Matsu el Picaro 2014
Matsu el Recio 2013
Matsu el Viejo 2011
Palacio de Villachica 2008

WATCH STORY OF MATSU EL PICARO, EL RECIO AND EL VIEJO HERE

Guests at our Uncorked session will be invited to share in the experience of “amazing wine and amazing people” with Drift managing director and professional sommelier Robert Gilliland and Florian Raymond, owner of Iconic Wines Malaysia and fourth generation winemaker, who will educate attendees on the various terroirs (a French term that literally translated means: earth, or soil) of each wine.

Tempranillo wines are also known as great food wines. We will have an array of light bites, and canapés on show to accompany your wine tasting experience.

For more details on Uncorked: Tempranillo Tasting or to reserve your spaces, contact events@driftdining.com or call 0321102079. Cost is 95 ++ RM per pax.