Peter McGlashan gave me a bottle of his not yet released 2018 Tempranillo to try, he remarked that it will be quite a look into the future as this one will follow the 2017 which hasn’t even been released yet – Ridgemill Estate often hold their wines back a little longer than many others. So without a label I thought I better place this cleanskin next to something to make it recognisable and no doubt many of you will remember The Spaniard 2009.
These Ridgemill Estate Tempranillo vines just keep getting better and I guess Peter should take some credit as well! An impenetrable dark purple in the glass and edging to deep cherry. A little sweet oak on the nose but the bouquet is dominated by black cherries, cherry cola a little sarsaparilla and spice. The palate is medium bodied and full of energy, there’s some influence from 10% whole bunch – I’m detecting some nicely ripe whole bunch characters which add spice and tannin. Vibrant black cherry fruits immediately envelop your palate and lead into cherry cola and a little liquorice/sarsaparilla flavour. In the 2000 vintage there was thick liquorice on the palate of quite a few Granite Belt Shiraz wines, the liquorice in this temp is very different to that, it’s thinner and far more subtle. Sometimes tempranillo shows citrus rind, especially orange and a little of this emerges later on the palate. As the palate presentation continues there’s what every good Granite Belt red wine can’t avoid – an earthy, minerally, granitic character which is a thing of genuine joy in these wines, then the fine, drying, savoury tannins provide a late pleasurable delight which lingers long.
It would be interesting to put this 2018 Ridgemill Estate side x side with Ray Costanzo’s Golden Grove 2018 tempranillo. They’re both great wines, this one with a little less whole bunch and the wines are quite different. Ray’s is a little more smashable and Peter’s is a little more serious Crianza. We will need to be a little patient for this one to be released though.
Tasted: Saturday 18th July, 2020 without food and then with over several hours.
Alcohol: ?
Closure: Screwcap
Price: Not yet released
Suggested Drinking Window: from release for 10 years +
Winemaker: Peter McGlashan
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