Toppers Mountain 2013 Wild Ferment Tempranillo

Just to reiterate from an earlier post … Wines from Toppers Mountain are the only non-Granite Belt GI wines that will be reviewed here.

In late April this year I reviewed a 2017 Symphony Hill Tempranillo. The grapes for that wine were sourced from Toppers Mountain Vineyard and the wine maker was Mike Hayes, so some commonalities here.tempranillo

The colour spectrum of this wine does indicate it’s age and there is some bricking at the rim but lots of red and darker cherry colours elsewhere – the label says ‘cellar to 2024’.

I’d have to say that the wine has a unique bouquet or at least in my experience of all Australian Tempranillo’s I have encountered. Here you encounter the unmistakability of the Toppers Mountain Terroir as red cherries buried in red earth are flung at your nasal senses, some cedary oak and a little cherry cola also expresses but that continuing background of volcanic earth is pretty special.

A long palate is savoury but also a little sour with red cherries and cherry pit, a little succulent sour raspberry offers additional interest, there is some cured meat which reminds me very much of prosciutto, the red volcanic soil and its mineralogy is enthralling and fascinating, it seems to invade the tannins which are velvet and voluptuous but which contain a late furriness and all of this is underpinned by that lovely earthiness from those unique soils.

A beautiful expression of the Toppers Mountain Terroir, especially the soil. This wine being both 4 years older than the Symphony Hill and made with a lighter hand quite emphatically expresses its origins. What an inconsolable shame it was to only purchase one of these and now have to consign the entire experience to the history banks and thank you so much again to the late John Drew for an unforgettable and cherished tasting experience.

Tasted: Friday 18th June, 2021 without food and then with over several hours.
Alcohol: 14%
Closure: Screwcap
Price: $30
Suggested Drinking Window: now to 2025
Winemaker: Mike Hayes
Fruit Source: Estate
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Posted by Peter Pacey

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