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Blue fruits dusted with new leather/ashy savouriness, this is Tempranillo with elegance, detail and power. Firm but fine tannins build the long finish.
Superbly youthful, bright, fresh, deep purple/red colour. Toasty, spicy, earthy aromas with lots of brown spices and toasty barrel notes. Deep-set dark and red fruits. Lively acidity, bright and tensioned. Long carry. Fine, elegant, linear and stylish. A benchmark wine. 95 points. (Huon Hooke)
A serious style that is immediately complex and varietal. Medium-bodied, but showing underlying brooding power with rich and fleshy blue fruits underscored by tarry, liquorice elements. The palate is dry, focused and tannic with great balance. Needing a decade to show its best. (Angus Hughson)
TEMPRANILLO
This is our sixteenth release of the Spanish variety Tempranillo, a variety that is very well suited to our site, with Canberra having high levels of climatic similarity to leading Spanish regions. This wine has become our flagship. It is blended from three distinct sites within the vineyard.
2018 VINTAGE
The 2017-2018 was the second-warmest season on record behind 2016, but due to consistently warm and dry conditions rather than any extreme heat. Timing of budburst and harvest were fairly normal. Conditions for vine growth and development were good and disease pressure was low. Weather during vintage was exceptional, consistently warm and dry apart from one downpour in late February which caused little trouble. Warm sunny days were balanced by cool nights giving a high diurnal temperature range. Quality is exciting across the board, with the later ripening varieties perhaps benefiting the most.
WINEMAKING
Hand picked 27 March 2017 to 10 April 2018, at an average of 13.4 Baumé. Had 5 days pre-ferment maceration, then wild-fermented in open vats with hand plunging. Pressed to French oak (15% new) after 9-10 days post-ferment maceration. Blended from three sites within the vineyard: Little Dam (42%), Rock Block (33%) and Dry Spur (25%). Unfined and lightly filtered. Bottled under screwcap January 2019. 308 dozen made, plus 81 magnums. Alcohol 14.0% by volume. Vegan friendly?: Yes.
CELLARING GUIDE
Drink now to 2038.
Tempranillo is suited to cellaring; here are our most recent tasting notes. Wines tasted from the winery museum. If your cellaring conditions are less than ideal, consider reducing the expected life of the wine. Tasted July 2018.
| Vintage | Tasting Notes | Drink Until | Rating |
| 2016 | Deep red with purple edges. Red and dark fruits with some oak, brown spices and pepper. Structured but juicy with mouthcoating soft fruits. Plenty of power and potential. | 2035 | Outstanding |
| 2015 | Dark black/red. Powerful nose of rich black fruits, plum and cola. Very youthful, very powerful, graphite, black fruits and dark cherry, cola and liquorice. Plush, fleshy and structured with plenty of powdery tannins. | 2035 | Outstanding |
| 2014 | Medium red. Red fruits with spice and char. Medium weight and flavour, supple, compact and tight with fresh tamarillo fruit and good juiciness. | 2030 | Excellent |
| 2013 | Deep dark red. Complex nose of ripe cherry and brambly fruit, game and toasted nuts. Rich sweet fruit flavours of cherry, stewed plum, currants and cassis. Complete, fresh and balanced. Similarities to ’09 and ’10. | 2033 | Outstanding |
| 2012 | Deep red. Interesting nose of fresh fruit, smoky chocolate and earth. Fresh and pleasant, still quite primary, a bit on the lean and green side with drying grippy tannins. | 2028 | Very good |
| 2011 | Medium red. Pretty nose of dusty red fruits, pepper and tomato leaf. Fresh and tangy with red berry fruit dusted with minty/herb character. Fairly lean, with firm drying tannins. | 2026 | Very good |
| 2010 | Deep dark red. Black fruits, spice, dark chocolate, beef stock, biscuity vanilla and red fruits. Rich and powerful with round grainy tannins, deep brooding character. | 2028 | Excellent |
| 2009 | Deep dark red. Complex nose of briar, cherry, earth, blackcurrant and oak. Lovely density of mouthcoating fruit, tangy, plush and balanced. Ripe and fresh, long and complete. | 2029 | Outstanding |
| 2008 | Deep ruby. Interesting and complex with liquorice, cherry ripe, graphite and gamy notes at first. Flooded with sweet dark cherry fruit, good freshness and a little mint. Quite powerful, structured style, benefits from time to open. | 2027 | Excellent |
| 2007 | Medium red, slight brick edge. Savoury nose with woodspice, dried leather, roast meat. Light framed, complex, lovely sweet fruit palate with some mint, fine powdery tannins, cola, plum, mushroom and vanilla. | 2027 | Outstanding |
| 2006 | Deep ruby. Savoury, earthy, dried leather. Firmly structured with red fruits and savoury, fine, powdery tannins. Quite mature but will hold. | 2023 | Excellent |
| 2005 | Medium red with brick edge. Slightly gamy and slightly herbaceous nose: balsam, earthy, dried leather. Bright and fresh palate with red berry-pomegranate fruit, cherry cola and a hint of oak. Lovely balance with juicy fruit sweetness, deliciously fine. | 2020 | Excellent |
| 2004 | Deep red with brick edge. Rich dark fruit with notes of chocolate, cola, mint, blackcurrant, spice. Plush, dense and complex. | 2023 | Excellent |
| 2003 | Good deep red. Minty/eucalypt with ripe fruit. Bright and mineral palate fine, powdery tannins. Enjoyable but not as lush as it once was. | Now | Very good |
