Deeply and darkly coloured at the depths and spreading to garnet red at the edges, perhaps just a little more depth of colour than most Granite Belt Tempranillos. Fragrant redolences of cola, sarsaparilla, oak, spices and very ripe plums float upwards in an enticing welcome. There is more oak evident than usual, it’s not out of balance but needs a little more time.
A delectably smooth almost silken palate with very fine resolved tannins glides and freewheels across your tastebuds. Cherry cola, exceedingly ripe raspberries, liquorice, dark berries, ripe black plums, some white pepper and cinnamon, vanilla oak and a little tannin influence late but quite gentle and smooth rather than drying. Given the quite ripe fruit in this wine the 13.1% a/v surprises me. I am also mindful that young tempranillo can taste like oak.
This is a delicious complex tempranillo that should cellar well, the acid is perfectly balanced. This is also a very different wine to the 2018 which finishes with quite astringent tannins. If you have some 2018 and, like myself, you don’t enjoy harsh astringent tannins I suggest you give the wine a long sleep and come back in 7 to 10 years – get some 2019’s and drink them while you wait.
Tasted: Saturday 5th December, 2020 without food and then with over several hours.
Alcohol: 13.1%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $64
Suggested Drinking Window: early 2021 to 2031
Winemaker: Ian Dobson and Andrian Tobin
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