Apr 9th 2025
Top 5 Tempranillo Wines to Try in 2025
As 2025 begins, there’s no better time to explore the diverse and complex world of Tempranillo. This iconic grape variety from Spain has won over the hearts of wine lovers around the world due to its versatility and aromatic complexity.
Did you know that 2025 has also been designated as The Year of Tempranillo in the Idaho wine region? Although Spain remains the historic heartland of this grape variety winemakers anywhere in the world are producing their own interpretations of this favorite grape variety.
Whether you're an experienced enthusiast or beginning your Spanish wine adventures, these five excellent bottles from Woodland Hills are worthy of your cellar this year. Let’s explore our top 5 Tempranillo picks for 2025 through this blog.
The Top 5 Tempranillo Wines to Experience in 2025
Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial 2018 Release ('05, '06, '07)
This unique wine is a fabulous representation of a non-vintage wine crafted with three brilliant years of grape growing and vinification - 2005, 2006, and 2007. It is predominantly made of Tempranillo (aka Tinto Fino) with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, showing why Vega Sicilia has been recognized as one of the greatest estates in the world.
Tasting Notes
The multi-layered and viscous red wine gives an aromatic, intoxicating bouquet of blackberries and sweet tobacco. The palate offers great raisined fruit, with chocolate, walnut, light vanilla, and dried berries all in a customary full-bodied structure.
Noteworthy Qualities
What makes this a must-try: With a stellar 98-point rating from James Suckling, this wine represents the pinnacle of Spanish craftsmanship. You can feel sophistication through the multi-vintage approach and the ancient winemaking and aging inherent in this release, as it was bottled in 2014 after many years of patience.
Señorio de San Vicente Rioja San Vicente 2020
This wine is made from 100% Tempranillo Peludo, a variety also known for its fuzzy leaves. This wine is from the San Vicente vineyard located in the Canoca Valley. It reflects a terroir-based philosophy that has shaped the evolution of modern Riojas.
Tasting Notes
This wine has a beautiful purple color with aromas of ripe black fruit and some wild herbs hidden behind the sweet and elegant oak. On the palate, it is dry, juicy, and fresh, with light fine-grain tannins that are quite impressive and lingering.
Noteworthy Qualities
This wine received a score of 96 points from both Joaquín Hidalgo (Vinous) and Jeb Dunnuck, who wrote: "a masterpiece of Marcos Eguren's winemaking philosophy - really elegant Tempranillo." Concentration and finesse make it a classic exemplar of a fine Rioja.
López de Heredia Rioja Viña Tondonia Reserva, 2012
The 2012 Viña Tondonia Reserva is a quintessential blend, with the majority being Tempranillo (70% - along with Garnacha (20%) and Mazuelo (10%). The wine was produced in the traditional method with a very long total aging of six years in the bodega’s own hand-made barrels.
Tasting Notes
The nose is gloriously open, perfumed, and fine, with a truly developed nose showing some spicy and tertiary aromas. On the palate, it is incredibly fresh, with bright acidity and a well-defined red fruit profile.
Noteworthy Qualities
This wine is truly representative of the traditional style of Rioja that has delighted wine drinkers for over a hundred years. The 2012 vintage comes from a very dry year with lower yields but very healthy grapes balanced between alcohol and polyphenols.
Telmo Rodriguez 'Matallana' - Ribera del Duero 2020
A passion project from unique winemaking partners Telmo Rodriguez and Pablo Eguzkiza who make this 100% Tempranillo from selected parcels in the Burgos side of Ribera del Duero.
Tasting Notes
Showing delicate blackberry fruit aromas with lovely spice from a careful dose of oak. Rich, but not heavy on the palate it is silky, poised, and tight but promising beautiful James Dessaune charm.
Noteworthy Qualities
Critics love its earthy qualities and note flavors "hewn from rocks" and "a feeling of slate, granite, steely tannic hold" with fragrant "gunsmoke, oyster shell, lemon rind minerality, raspberry, pomegranate, and red cherry fruits."
2015 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904 Selección Especial
This is their first 904 Gran Reserva to be labeled as 'Selección Especial,' an exquisite wine that is 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. La Rioja Alta is true to the essence of classical Rioja wine production.
Tasting Notes
The wine is a deep garnet color, with aromas to match the richness, complexity, dark cherry, and forest fruit with sweet spices, and layers of wonderfully leathery and cured meat tones.
Noteworthy Qualities
The long, stable aging program means that this wine has developed extraordinary depth and softness already, making it delicious to drink now and only going to improve in the cellar. Based on the balance of ripe fruit, strong savory character, and vibrant energy this 2015 is very well executed.
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Criteria for Selecting the Top 5 Tempranillo Wines
Selecting our top Tempranillos for 2025 involved taking into account many more factors than mere personal taste. This list highlights exceptional wines that best showcase Tempranillo’s potential.
Vintage Quality
The quality of the harvest was a major factor in our choices. The weather of any specific growing season has a significant effect on the final wine, and we looked for vintages with the best-growing conditions for Tempranillo. For example, the 2012 Viña Tondonia is from a very dry vintage with lower yields and a good proportion of really healthy grapes.
Winemaker Reputation
Winemaker's reputation and past greatness also weighed strongly in our choices. Estates such as Vega Sicilia and López de Heredia have shown unbroken consistency over decades, setting themselves as benchmarks for Spanish wine.
Regional Typology
Regional typicity was also significant. Each wine that we selected affirms the distinctive regional aspect, whether in the elegant delicacy of classic Rioja or the intensity and focus of Ribera del Duero.
Critics’ Choice
Critical consensus provided valuable insight. When multiple credible critics agree and give a certain wine high scores, it is something to consider. Our selections received praise from differing critical voices, which reflects a broader acknowledgment of their quality.
Food Pairings to Elevate Your Tempranillo Experience
Tempranillo's greatest asset is its versatility at the table. This wine’s moderate tannins, bright acidity, and complex flavors make it a perfect match for a variety of dishes, especially Spanish cuisine.
Viña Tondonia Reserva
When pairing with the elegant, traditionally styled 2012 López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, we recommend a classic Spanish pairing of roasted lamb with rosemary and garlic. The wine's developed tertiary flavors, along with its bright acidity, will cut through the richness of the lamb while complementing the earthiness of the dish.
Señorio de San Vicente
The powerful, concentrated 2020 Señorio de San Vicente will require a more powerful pairing option. We recommend this steak with some simple seasoning of salt and pepper, allowing the fruit intensity and firm tannins of this wine to complement the grilled char from the rib-eye along with the richness of the fat.
Vega Sicilia's Único Reserva
Vega Sicilia's Único Reserva Especial deserves elegant food for its impressive complexity and elegant structure. Duck breast with cherry reduction pairs perfectly with both the wine's red fruit notes and the subtle spice, while aged Manchego cheese is simpler but equally satisfying.
La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva
The 2015 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Selección Especial pairs wonderfully with Spain's national dish: paella. The wine's complexity matches the dish's flavor diversity, and its acidity cuts through the creaminess of the saffron-infused rice.
Telmo Rodriguez 'Matallana' - Ribera del Duero 2020
The bold and structured 2020 Telmo Rodriguez 'Matallana' from Ribera del Duero calls for equally robust dishes that can stand up to its rich fruit, minerality, and firm tannins. Best paired with slow-braised short ribs with a red wine reduction. The deep, meaty flavors of the ribs meld beautifully with the wine’s dark berry notes, while the slow-cooked tenderness balances its tannic grip.
Tips for Serving and Enjoying Tempranillo
If you want to enjoy these beautiful Tempranillo wines to their fullest, good service and enjoyment practices can make all the difference. For this reason, we have outlined a handful of tips to help you drink wines at their highest potential.
Perfect Temperature
Serving temperature dramatically impacts the expression of Tempranillo. For lighter more traditional styles, such as the López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, serve at around 60-62°F (15-17°C). In contrast, with more robust expressions from Ribera del Duero, it is better to serve slightly warmer at 62-65°F (17-18°C) to reveal more complex aromas and flavors.
Decanting
Decanting is especially recommended for the older, more structured wines on this list. For example, it is worth 1-2 hours in a decanter with the 2015 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 and Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial to help their expression open, while allowing for levels and complexity to reveal.
Glassware
Glassware is another important factor in improving the pleasure of these wines. It is advisable to use larger glasses with a narrow tulip shape at the top of the glass to again, allow for the aeration of swirling the wine to release more aromatic compounds.
Triumph the Tempranillo!
As we've examined these five outstanding Tempranillo wines, it is apparent that 2025 offers wine lovers incredible opportunities to experience this noble grape from Spain at its best. From the traditional sophistication of a Rioja from López de Heredia to the bold concentration of treasures from Ribera del Duero such as Vega Sicilia and Telmo Rodriguez, Tempranillo has again shown why it is worthy of selection among the premier categories of wine grape varieties in the world.
We invite you to try these delicious wines in 2025. For those of you looking to explore these and others of the variety, Woodland Hills Wine Company has an incredibly well-curated set of selections based on area, style, and price. If you are a long-time aficionado of Spanish wine or just getting started with wine, especially full-bodied red, these five recommendations are a good place to begin enjoying Tempranillo during 2025.
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