A Journey Into Spain’s Most Iconic Grape – Top Tempranillo Wine Picks for our Latest Spanish Wine Collection (Part 1)
In this first video, Julien Miquel presents the three Tempranillo based wines in the collection. Tempranillo is Spain’s signature red grape. It is powerful, versatile, and capable of creating elegant, age worthy reds. These three wines come from two of Spain’s most respected wine regions, Ribera del Duero and Toro, places where Tempranillo has been shaped for centuries into something deep, structured, and unforgettable.
Alejandro Fernández “MXI” Ribera del Duero
We begin in Ribera del Duero, often considered one of Spain’s top three wine regions. Many Spanish wine lovers will tell you Ribera del Duero is where you find the country’s most serious red wines. The winery behind this bottle, Alejandro Fernández, is legendary. Their cult wine Tinto Pesquera is poured in top restaurants around the world, and their broader portfolio reflects the same dedication to quality.
MXI comes from an estate vineyard in the heart of Ribera del Duero. It is made from 100 percent Tempranillo and aged for 14 months in oak. The name MXI refers to the year 1011, when this part of Castile was reclaimed during the Reconquista. The wine honors that history, but what you taste in the glass is pure modern craftsmanship.
The color is youthful and bright with deep purple hues. The aroma bursts with fresh berries, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, and a hint of ripe apricot. There is chocolate, caramel, and a delicate herbal side reminiscent of laurel and acacia. On the palate the wine feels like a pure expression of the grape. Julien describes it as tasting exactly like fermenting Tempranillo from his own winemaking years in Spain. Mixed spices, black pepper, citrus lift, and subtle oak come together with energy and freshness.
Although still young, it already drinks beautifully. With a couple years of extra smoothness it will reach another level. It can age up to 10 to 12 years. As for food, Julien recommends a classic Spanish pairing. A lively red like this is perfect with chicken and seafood paella, a combination that brings out the fruit, spice, and zesty character of the wine.
Félix Sanz “Vocablos” Toro
Next we travel to Toro, a region Julien knows deeply from living and working there. Toro is the most powerful expression of Tempranillo anywhere in Spain. Hot summers and sandy soils create explosive wines with immense concentration and character.
The winery, Félix Sanz, is a family operation dating back to 1934. Vocablos comes from extremely old vines, many more than 100 years old. It is aged in 100 percent new French oak, and production is very limited. Only 5,000 bottles of the 2019 vintage exist.
The wine shows dense color with slight brick tones that reflect its six years of maturity. The nose is extraordinary. Julien describes a huge wave of fruit, blackberry, plum, prune, and dark cherry, deeply layered with leather, dark chocolate, wood smoke, roasted nuts, and black pepper. Everything is powerful but controlled, like a refined fruit bomb with elegance.
On the palate the wine is intense. Ripe berries, cooked apple, prune, pear, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, and coffee come together in a dense but finely grained texture. It is bold yet refined thanks to the age of the vines. Old vines give depth, acidity, and balance even when the wines are enormous in scale. This bottle is ready to drink now but can age easily for another ten to fifteen years.
For food, Julien suggests braised lamb chops with roasted potatoes and roasted bell peppers. A hearty, traditional pairing that matches the wine’s power.
41N Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada Ribera del Duero
Finally, we return to Ribera del Duero for a boutique wine made by a small group of passionate winemakers. Their vineyard covers only twenty acres, and their attention to detail is extreme. The Vendimia Seleccionada is their top expression. It is made from the best grapes of their vineyard, aged twelve months in French oak, and produced in only 8,000 bottles.
This 2016 is nearly ten years old, and the maturity shows beautifully. The color has touches of orange and brick yet remains vibrant. The aroma is generous and nostalgic. Julien describes dried prunes, almond nougat, citrus blossom, and a combination of spices and herbs that create a sweet, nutty, delicate character.
The palate is smooth and velvety with finely grained tannins. The acidity lifts the flavors of dried fruit, apricot, raisin, and sultanas, bringing freshness to a rich and ripe wine. Age adds depth and complexity that young wines cannot achieve. This is what Ribera del Duero does best. Power and finesse layered together.
Enjoy it now or cellar it for another five to eight years. For pairing, Julien recommends two Spanish classics. Chicken in garlic sauce, known as pollo al ajillo, and a tortilla de patatas with chorizo. Both dishes match the wine’s richness and spice perfectly.
Discover Spain’s New Classics
These three wines show why Tempranillo remains Spain’s most iconic grape. Traditional vineyards, precise winemaking, and modern standards meet in bottles that feel both historic and contemporary. Next week we present the remaining three wines of the collection made from other grapes and regions across Spain.
Explore the complete collection of Spanish wines here
To discover more stories from the world of wine, visit our Bonner Private Wines YouTube channel.
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