Comparison
Mencía vs Tempranillo
How Mencía and Tempranillo differ, dimension by dimension.
The short answer
Mencía and Tempranillo come from the same country but sit in different territory. The main differences: Tempranillo has more oak influence; Tempranillo has more savoury character; Mencía has more floral character.
Choose
Mencía
Choose Mencía if you want something more floral, more herbal and green, fresher and more acidic.
Where they genuinely differ
Only differences large enough to notice in the glass are listed here. A gap of half a point on a five-point scale is noise, and WineHQ does not dress it up as a finding.
Oak influence
Clear differencePerceptible impact of barrel or alternative oak contact — vanilla, toast, coconut, smoke, cedar and added texture.
Tempranillo is more oaky: medium-plus against low-medium.
Savoury character
Clear differenceNon-fruit, umami-adjacent character: meat, leather, olive, soy, broth, cured notes. Often increases with age.
Tempranillo is more savoury: medium-plus against low-medium.
Floral character
Clear differenceBlossom, rose, violet, elderflower, acacia and related aromatic notes.
Mencía is more floral: medium against low.
Herbal / green character
Clear differenceHerbs, grass, blackcurrant leaf, capsicum and other green notes, largely driven by methoxypyrazines and picking decisions.
Mencía is more herbal and green: medium against low.
Spice
Clear differencePepper, clove, cinnamon and related spice notes, whether from the grape (as with rotundone in Syrah) or from oak.
Tempranillo is spicier: medium against low.
Acidity
Clear differenceTotal perceived acidity. Rises in cooler climates and with earlier picking; falls with heat and ripeness.
Mencía is fresher and more acidic: medium-plus against medium.
Where they are much the same
Just as useful: knowing which parts of the choice do not matter.
- Sweetness: Similar — both low.
- Alcohol: Similar — both medium-plus.
- Aromatic intensity: Similar — both medium.
- Earthy character: Similar — both medium.
- Carbonation: Similar — both low.
Full side by side
| Dimension | Mencía | Tempranillo |
|---|---|---|
| Oak influence | typically low-medium, ranging from low to medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from low-medium to high (4/5) |
| Savoury character | low-medium (2/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) |
| Floral character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Herbal / green character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | low (1/5) |
| Spice | low (1/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Acidity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Tannin | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Body | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Fruit intensity | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Perceived freshness | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to high (4/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) |
| Texture | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium (3/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Sweetness | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Alcohol | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) | typically medium-plus, ranging from medium to medium-plus (4/5) |
| Aromatic intensity | medium (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Earthy character | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) | typically medium, ranging from low-medium to medium-plus (3/5) |
| Carbonation | low (1/5) | low (1/5) |
| Serve at | 14–16°C | 15–17°C |
| Typical flavours | red cherry, raspberry, violet, graphite, bay leaf | red cherry, dried strawberry, leather, tobacco, vanilla |
Values are typical points within each wine’s range. Both wines vary — see the individual pages for how much.
Read more
Grape
Mencía
A perfumed, fresh, graphite-edged red from north-west Spain, best from old slate-grown vines in Bierzo.
Grape
Tempranillo
Spain’s leading red variety, giving savoury, leather-and-cherry wines that are shaped as much by oak ageing as by the grape itself.
Comparison
Tempranillo vs Sangiovese
Spain’s and Italy’s signature reds — which is fresher, and which is rounder?
Comparison
Tempranillo vs Cabernet Sauvignon
Rioja or claret with the lamb?
Comparison
Mencía vs Pinot Noir
Bierzo is routinely sold to Burgundy drinkers, and it is worth knowing how far that comparison actually goes.