Tempranillo is not a big grape. It is black when ripened, round and of moderate size. In most Spanish wine regions Tempranillo can be used as a single variety or mixed with other varieties. The typical blend in Rioja, for instance, is with Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. Many of the wineries we visit in Rioja during our tours produce blends.
Tempranillo can typically produced complex wines, not very alcoholic, with high tannins and not very acid. Cherries and strawberries are the most frequently found aromas in Tempranillo.
Tempranillo can be used both to produce young fresh wines or can be aged for long periods, to produce more complex wines, which are famed for their structure and elegance. Spain is a country where normally low yields are produced per hectare. This is a normal thing to happen if we bear in mind that before irrigitation systems where produced, the vines could not be planted very close to each other to ensure competition for a soil lacking in some occasions water would not be a problem.