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Tinta Del Pais grapes

by | Mar 10, 2017

Tinta Del Pais is a red wine producing grape variety grown popularly in Spain and Portugal.

Tinta Del Pais

In Spain it is mostly blended with Grenache wine and a number of other wines. The acidity of the wines made from Tinta Del Pais grape variety is not so high and so it is not bottled as a varietal.

But looking at the number of wines it is used in, it shows how important the variety is to these regions.

It is more popularly known as Tempranillo in almost all of the regions.Ii is also known by other names in some of the areas like Tinto de Toro, Aragones, Ojo de Liebre and many more such names.

American oak is the traditional choice of winemakers. The wine can be enjoyed young as well as aged.

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The grape does not have strong aromas like most of the grapes grown in Spain but somehow the taste and quality of the wines made from Tinta Del Pais grape make it capable to be used in the blending of such huge number of wines.

Even if the grape is used only in blends, you can find wines that have up to 90% of Tinta Del Pais grape!

Origin of Tinta Del Pais

Earlier Tinta Del Pais grape was thought to be similar to the pinot noir grape. In the 17th century, the grape is said to be introduced to America by some Spanish conquistadors.

In the 20th century, Tinta Del Pais grape travelled a lot which lead to widespread cultivation on the same.

During 1980s the production of the wine on a large scale flourished. In 19990s the cultivation of the grape began in parts of Africa and Australia. Ever since then the grape has been known to produce good quality red wines.

The cultivation and production of Tinta Del Pais is spreading and it should not stop as it is among those grapes that have low acidic as well as sugar content and still manage to be so popular in the wine market.

Wines with Tinta Del Pais grapes

Features of Tinta Del Pais

Tinta Del Pais grapes have thick, black coloured berries. The wines made from the grape are not too aromatic like a number of other wines and so it is mostly blended or aged for better taste and aromas.

The grape grows best at high altitudes, but the vines also have a tolerance towards high temperature.

Berries of Tinta Del Pais grape ripen in the early season, which is reflected in the name Tempranillo meaning the earlier one, preventing the vine from a number of viticulture hazards, but still since the grape lacks resistance towards rot and pests the vine needs to be preserved.

Wines made from the grape are ruby red in colour and gives tastes of plum, strawberries, vanilla and some herbs.

The acidic content of the wines made from the grape is not very high and also the sugar content is low. Due to this reason it is very difficult to find varietals made out of this grape variety.

For getting a high level of sugar content and thick skins to give the wines a deep colour, a slightly higher temperature is required while if you need elegance and acidity you will have to keep the temperature cool. This is a great advantage about the grape as the cultivators can get flavours of their choice.

Food Pairing

Tinta Del Pais grape wines have a low acidic content and so they taste well when taken with cheese or any mild dish.

It is also consumed with potato soup. Dishes like Pad Thai are also known to be perfect for taking with Tinta Del Pais grape wines, on the other hand they also complements different kinds of salads.

You do not need any strong flavours or salty dishes to cherish the taste of wines made from Tinta Del Pais grapes.

Roasted red pepper with stuffed rice is a dish which is said to be the best suited according to the taste of wine.

The grape is being used in the blends of a number of other wines and so the significance of the grape must not be ignored.

The wines made from the grape are available globally and can be bought online too! You must not miss the taste of wines made from this grape.

Author

Michael Bredahl

Michael Bredahl

Wine Writer

Michael is an online enthusiast, with a lot of knowledge about online marketing. Traveling around the world to hunt for the perfect wine. Latest on Sicily, where Etna has a huge impact on the taste, which is strong with a bitter aftertaste for the youngest wines, but older wines are fantastic. Drinking wine, and writing about them, are one the passions. Remember to drink responsibly 🙂

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1 Comment

  1. Jean-Paul Burtin

    I just tasted a bottle of Lopez Cristobal Tinto Reserva 2012 and it was great. The blend is 95% of tinta del pais and 5% merlot. A great choice!

    Reply

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