Tempranillos around Spain

By Al Spoler,

Hugh Sisson

Published June 28, 2017 at 3:44 PM EDT

In the cellar this week: Tempranillos, which refers in Spanish, to the grape's tendency to ripen early.

Click on the image for the wine list.

The Wine List

Camina, Tempranillo, D.O. La Mancha '15

A little gem of a light bodied red, vibrant and fun. Buy lots.

Quality: ★★1/2

Price Range: Less than $20

Pagos del Rey, Rioja Crianza '12

Youthful, great tapas wine, looks for informal wining and dining

Quality: ★★

Price Range: Less than $20

Pago de los Capellanes, Joven, Ribera del Duero '15

Pricey, but very classy, a solid example of the Joven style

Quality: ★★★

Price Range: $20-$40

Bodegas Valdueor, Finca Azaya. Toro '15

Deep and brooding, filled with dark fruit flavors, but shows finesse

Quality: ★★1/2

Price Range: $20-$40

This week's Radio Kitchen food pairing: Paellas for the grill.

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Al Spoler

Al Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.

See stories by Al Spoler

Hugh Sisson

As General Partner of Clipper City Brewing Company, L.P., Hugh J. Sisson is among Baltimore's premier authorities on craft brewing and a former manager of the state's first pub brewery, Sissons, located in Federal Hill. A fifth generation Baltimorean, Hugh has been involved in all aspects of craft brewing.

See stories by Hugh Sisson