Our tasting lineup.

As we pointed out last week, September 1 was International Tempranillo Day, a holiday of sorts promoted by TAPAS — the Tempranillo Advocates Producers and Amigos Society.

To commemorate the occasion, three wine-loving friends — @zmwang, @gtownjason, and @brianmehler — joined me for an informal tasting of six bottles of Tempranillo.

Tempranillo is most commonly associated with Spain, but the grape is now grown and produced all over the world, as far afield as Turkey and Thailand. The varietal is becoming more popular in the United States; TAPAS estimates that between 1,500 and 2,000 acres are devoted to it in America. Steve Heimoff reports that California hosts 957 acres worth of Tempranillo.

The six bottles we opened were all from the United States. We tasted them in chronological order — one 2005 bottling, followed by two from 2007 and three from 2008. We decanted the three 2008 wines and popped and poured the other three. And of course, because good food makes every tasting better, we noshed on sausage-and-caramelized-onion pizza and an assortment of meats and cheeses.

Leading off was a 2005 Bodegas Paso Robles Viva Yo (CellarTracker average price: $25). This was a blend of 90 percent Tempranillo and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine had a huge nose, with aromas that reminded me of a steakhouse and subtle fruits coloring those aromas. The Cabernet stood out. Also picked up some butterscotch, earth, and a tad bit of heat on the surprisingly complex bouquet. The palate featured raisins and plums, along with butterscotch and caramel notes. This wine had a lot going on, but I found the final product slightly less than its constituent parts. Two of my tasting partners disagreed; this was their wine of the night.

Next up was a 2007 Dubost Crianza. This one had less fruit on the nose; the fruits that were evident were under-ripe and dark. The palate was much heavier and featured dark chocolate, with restrained, under-ripe fruits as well as some savory characteristics and pepper. This wine was more profound than the Viva Yo and ended up being my wine of the night.

The 2007 Folin Cellars Tempranillo (CellarTracker average price: $28) followed the Dubost. This wine hails from the Rogue Valley AVA in southern Oregon. It also featured the first glass cork I’ve ever seen. Butter and chalk dominated the sizeable nose. Sour plums and sour fruits featured on the palate, with acidity throughout. Overall, a pretty darn good wine.

Batting cleanup was the 2008 Bokisch Vineyards Tempranillo (CellarTracker average: $17; suggested retail: $21), from Lodi in California. This was a blend of 75 percent Tempranillo and 25 percent Graciano, another Spanish varietal. Cream and butter coated the dark, sour fruits on the palate. I also picked up some raw meat on the nose, and even some sweet fruits at the end. A quality wine — fruit forward and very smooth. Definitely a good value.

Next up? The 2008 Ripken Tempranillo El Matador, also from Lodi. This was the only wine in our flight that truly disappointed. Decanting did nothing to moderate the heat, which covered the dark, cooked fruits on both the nose and palate. This wine screamed high alcohol and was not for me.

The final wine in our lineup was a 2008 Berryessa Gap Tempranillo from Yolo County in the Central Valley of California. Fruits dominated in all three stages: sweet fruits on the nose, then darker sweet fruits on the palate and finish. Quite accessible and a delightful way to finish the tasting.

The final verdict? Two votes for the Viva Yo and two votes for the Dubost Crianza.

What say you, dear readers? Did you drink anything special for International Tempranillo Day?