Famous low-calorie grape variety "Tempranillo"
Tempranillo is one of the most popular Spanish grape varieties for making red wines with rich fruity flavors, vanilla and oak aroma. The drinks are characterized by medium to high tannin content, moderate acidity and sugar content. The taste of the grapes depends on the climatic and soil characteristics of the growing region. The culture prefers mountainous areas with sufficient sunlight.
Description and characteristics of the Tempranillo grape variety
Tempranillo means "early" in Spanish. The correct name for the grape, taking into account the peculiarities of the Spanish language, is Tempranillo. Winemakers have noticed that the plant ripens earlier than Grenache, a traditional Spanish blending variety.
The crop is grown in Spain (Navarre and Rioja), Portugal, USA, Argentina and Australia. The dry and hot climate of these countries is ideal for the plant.
Origin story
In the territory of modern Spain, grapes have been grown since time immemorial. Archaeologists have discovered the fossilized remains of a vine, the age of which reaches 3 thousand years. In 1972, a mosaic depicting Bacchus (Dionysus), the god of wine, was found in the province of Burgos in north-central Spain. The find dates back to 800 BC.
Grape researchers believe that the Phoenicians brought the vine to the south of the Iberian Peninsula from the territory of modern Lebanon. It is she who is considered the ancestor of the Tempranillo variety.
In the 90s of the twentieth century, the culture gained popularity in many countries of the world due to its high adaptive abilities to soil types and climate. The grape has become a textbook technical variety. It is used to make port and red table wines.
Description of Tempranillo grapes
The Tempranillo grape is a fast-growing bush with little foliage. Compact sizes allow plantings to be thickened, which has a positive effect on productivity. The bush can withstand the load of up to 20 shoots, each of which has 25 eyes.
The shoots are long, grow up to 7 m in length, and are characterized by full ripening.
Reference! When cultivated under favorable conditions, the ripening rate is 85%.
The flowers are bisexual and do not require additional pollination. The leaf blade is large, wrinkled, with pubescence of medium density. During periods of prolonged rain, the ovaries and flowers do not fall off, so the level of productivity does not decrease.
The clusters are compact, cylindrical-conical, weighing 600–700 g. The density is average and depends on climatic conditions. Young bushes are prone to peas, especially in regions with cold climates.
The berries are medium in size, 12–15 mm in diameter. The skin is medium thick, black-blue with a rich matte coating. The pulp is moderately dense and dark. Average weight - 6–8 g. Tasting taste rating is high. In nature, there is a mutational form of grape called Tempranillo Blanco. The fruits have green-yellow skin and are used to make white table wines.
The yield of the variety is consistently high with proper care: 4-5 kg per bush.The taste and quality of the berries depend on the growing conditions: during periods of prolonged rain, the fruits become watery, which has an extremely negative effect on the taste of the wine. Excessive humidity leads to loss of taste and aroma of berries, so they are used to make budget wines or combined with other grape varieties.
The calorie content of Tempranillo grapes is low - 64 kcal per 100 g. This does not affect the quality of the finished drinks. The fruits are rarely consumed fresh, unless large clusters grown in sunny areas are selected. The sugar content of the fruit reaches 16%, so the taste of the wine is bright and rich, and the fermentation rate increases.
Acidity indicators are average - 9 g/l. Berries collected in mountainous regions are characterized by a high acid content.
Grapes have low resistance to drought - the crop requires abundant watering and mulching of the soil to retain moisture.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of the variety:
- high productivity;
- low acid content;
- balanced taste of the drink.
Flaws:
- susceptibility to gray rot;
- sensitivity to spring and autumn frosts;
- dependence of taste on the growing region;
- lack of immunity to pests.
Similar varieties
Tempranillo is an autochthonous (local) variety. The varieties of red technical grapes have similar characteristics: Grenache (Garnacha), Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Krasnostop, Codryanka.
Wine from Tempranillo
Tempranillo grapes contain anthocyanins, thanks to which wines acquire deep color and the taste becomes tart and velvety.. The rich aroma of the drink meets consumer requirements and compensates for the low taste profile.
Tempranillo-based wines acquire notes of cherry, strawberry, black currant, prune, chocolate and tobacco. Berry notes predominate in young wine made from grapes from cold regions. The last three shades characterize drinks made from berries grown in warm climates.
The wine is aged in American oak barrels. This is the traditional choice of winemakers in Rioja - the taste of the drink takes on coconut and vanilla notes. In Ribera del Duero, the drink is aged in French and second-hand oak barrels to give it a fruity taste and a pleasant oak aroma.
Reference! Grapes warmed by the hot southern sun produce an unusually tasty and rich wine with an optimal balance of acids and sugars. The finished drink has a bright fruity taste, soft, smooth and spicy aftertaste.
The lands of Australia and Argentina are ideal for growing Tempranillo. These grapes produce a wine with notes of cherry, tomato sauce and low tannins.
In Spain, wine aged in traditional oak barrels takes on an orange hue. Despite the rich taste, the structure remains light. Here it is served with sausages, jamon and grilled vegetables. In Italy, the drink is combined with pizza, lasagna, pasta with tomato sauces.
In Mexico, Tempranillo is served with tacos, burritos, nachos and chili. Other food pairings: grilled red peppers stuffed with rice, blood sausage, bean stew, roast lamb with redcurrant jelly. The average alcohol content in the drink is 13–14.5%.
Popular wine varieties:
- Vin Joven is a young wine without aging in barrels with a short shelf life, distributed exclusively in Spain.
- Crianza is a red wine aged for two years (6 months in American oak barrels).
- Reserva is a red wine aged for three years, including 1 year in oak barrels. The drink is characterized by an exquisite full taste.
- Gran Reserva is a red wine aged for five years, of which 1.5 years in oak barrels. The taste is rich tannin.
The main producers of wine from Tempranillo: Portugal, Spain, Argentina, USA, Australia.
Name synonyms:
- Spain: Tinto Fino, Ojo de Libre, Cecibel, Tinto de Toro, Tinto Madrid, Tinto del Pey, Ul de Liebre;
- Portugal: Tinta Aragonese, Aragones, Arinto Tinto, Aragonese, Tinta Roritz, Tinta de Santiago.
Planting seedlings
The Tempranillo grape variety is recommended for planting at higher elevations. The culture is easy to care for and is suitable for growing in regions with warm climates. To improve health and protection, plants are treated against fungal infections and pests, and trellises are placed to support the vine.
High quality grapes with excellent taste are obtained when grown at an altitude of more than 700 m above sea level. The berries are illuminated from all sides by the sun's rays, and differences in day and night temperatures ensure optimal acidity and sugar content of the fruit.
Reference! Ribera del Duero is considered the best region in the world for growing Tempranillo. Here the daytime air temperature reaches +40°C, the night temperature drops to +16°C. Winegrowers call Tempranillo the only variety that can adapt to such weather conditions.
The ideal soil for growing the crop is fertile, rich in limestone. The growing season is 125–135 days, but when cultivated in a Mediterranean climate, the berries ripen 2 weeks ahead of schedule.In industrial-scale vineyards, maximum yield can be achieved 3-4 years after planting the seedlings.
Planting is carried out in early May, when the threat of return frosts has disappeared. During this period, plants receive the optimal amount of sunlight, which contributes to the rapid development of shoots and ovaries.
In Russia, Tempranillo is grown in Dagestan, Mordovia and the Krasnodar region. In the central regions, there is a tendency to peas, an increased risk of fungal infections and death of bushes. According to statistics, in the Russian Federation the variety is grown by no more than 0.5% of winegrowers.
Instructions for planting seedlings
For planting crops, choose sunny areas protected from gusty winds. The soil is pre-plowed, the heavy loam is loosened using river sand. The optimal pit size is: width - 70 cm, depth - 80 cm. The bottom is covered with broken bricks or crushed stone, and a layer of soil is added on top.
For planting, use healthy seedlings with a green top cut and a developed root system. Healthy roots are colored white. The planting material is kept in a solution of a growth stimulator for 30 minutes, then planted in holes, keeping a distance of 1.5 m. The roots are straightened, soil is poured on top, compacted with the palm of your hand and watered abundantly with settled water. Supports are driven in next to the seedlings for subsequent staking of the vine.
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Subtleties of care
Tempraniyo is a capricious variety that requires a special approach to agricultural technology.
The main points of growing grapes:
- installation of supports and trellises to secure the vines;
- sheltering bushes for the winter;
- preventive treatments three times a year;
- pruning the vine to increase productivity and shape the crown;
- installation of an underground irrigation system;
- mulching between rows;
- adding organic matter and minerals.
The grapes need moderate watering at the beginning of development and abundant watering during the dry period. When planting, a pipe for irrigation is dug in the center of the hole. This ensures that the root system is saturated with moisture. The earthen crust is loosened after each irrigation to provide oxygen to the roots. Thanks to mulching, the frequency of loosening is reduced and moisture in the soil is retained.
A month after planting, the grapes are fertilized with a solution of chicken manure in a ratio of 1:15. 14 days before flowering, the bushes are treated with the following solution: 4 g of sodium humate, 5 g of boric acid per 10 liters of water. 14 days after flowering, use a nutrient solution for irrigation: 5 g of boric acid, 20 g of potassium magnesia, 4 g of sodium humate per 10 liters of water.
The variety is not frost-resistant and needs shelter for the winter. To do this, use straw, agrofibre, thick plastic film or spruce branches. The shelter is removed with the arrival of spring.
Trimming
The vines are pruned every year in spring or autumn. The stem ripens early and has long internodes. Grape growers recommend pruning to 6–8 buds. In the spring, on healthy and strong bushes, up to 80% of last year's shoots are removed using a sharply sharpened tool.
The bushes are formed mainly in the shape of a “cup”, common in the Iberian Peninsula. Local winegrowers are confident that this molding allows the sun's rays to illuminate the berries from all sides. This only makes the taste of the grapes better and acquires rich fruity notes.
Disease and pest control
The Tempranillo variety is susceptible to infection by fungi that cause gray rot, mildew and oidium. Timely preventive treatment reduces the risk of developing infections. The work uses exclusively contact fungicides: “Thanos”, “Horus”, “Topaz” and “Tiovit Jet”, “Ridomil”, Bordeaux mixture, colloidal sulfur.
When infected, use a sulfur solution (100 g per 10 liters of water). The bushes are treated in the evening or in cloudy weather at least 3 times every 10 days.
Important! Sulfur is used at air temperatures above +20°C. At low values, grapes are treated with the preparations “Switch”, “Strobi”, “Cumulus DF”.
The most dangerous pest of the crop is considered to be phylloxera, or grape aphid, living on the rhizome. It spreads with lightning speed and leads to the death of bushes. The main sign of infection is growths on the roots.
To kill the insect, pyrethroids (Cypermethrin, Deltamethrin), organophosphorus compounds (Metaphos, Tiofos), and neonicotinoids (Aktara) are used, since folk remedies do not provide the desired result. Biological products: “Bitoxibacillin”, “Fitoverm” are highly effective and safe for humans and the environment.
Harvest and storage
The bunches are trimmed with a sharp instrument in dry weather and immediately sent for processing. Technical grape varieties are not stored for a long time and are used primarily for making wine.
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Conclusion
Tempranillo is an ancient dark grape variety native to the Iberian Peninsula. The culture is distinguished by its early ripening period.Small berries with almost black skin and dark, dense and juicy pulp have a balanced taste. The fruits are used to make red table wines and port wines with a bright fruity taste and aroma. Aging in oak barrels has a beneficial effect on the taste of the drink.
Tempranillo is fastidious in its care and needs timely watering, organic and mineral fertilizing, pruning and shaping the bush into a “cup”. Preventive fungicide treatments reduce the risk of fungal infections. To destroy the dangerous pest phylloxera, insecticides and biological preparations are used.