Tempranillo is the most planted red grape variety in Spain and is also responsible for some of its best wines. The grape yields medium to full-bodied, mostly Tone & Backbone red wines of moderate to high levels of tannins and acidity. Flavor wise, it shows a mix of red and dark fruits, including cherry and plum, as well as leather, tobacco, with herbal and spice notes.
Merlot
Mer-LO
It would be easier to detail where Merlot is not grown than vice-versa, as it is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Depending on the terroir, the style can vary quite a bit. Generally, Merlot is fleshy and more fruit driven and with less aggressive tannins than its oft more austere blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, which also makes it more accessible in its youth. The quality and character can vary from crowd pleasing sweet plummy fruit to extraordinary complex velvety texture of a great right bank Bordeaux.
