The Tempranillo is a black grape native to Spain and is the third most widely grown grape in the world. It is also popular in Portugal, but is now planted throughout the world.
Tempranillo is used to make full bodied red wines, and is best known for being the backbone of most Rioja wines. It has a naturally neutral profile, so lends itself perfectly to being aged in oak acquiring the barrels flavours.
Similarly, its neutral nature makes it an excellent wine for blending, so its common to see Tempranillo blended with other grape varieties as is often the case for wines from the Ribera Del Duero region.