2016 ARTUKE ‘PIES NEGROS’ RIOJA - MOVE YOUR FEET

‘Pies Negros’ translates from Spanish to English as black feet. It’s an appropriate name for a wine that is glossy crimson in appearance and leaps from the glass with cherry and plum skin. Indeed, it smells a bit like freshly feet trodden fruit.

That said and done, the wine is relatively light on its feet, weighing in at no more than medium bodied. It is a wine that does what it says and taste like what it smells like – up-front dark fruit with a savoury finish. It’s not that complex, but delivers plenty of character and drinking pleasure.

This particular bottle was very similar to a 2014 vintage of the same wine enjoyed a couple of years ago.

2016 ARTUKE ‘PIES NEGROS’ RIOJA
Producer: Bodegas y Vinedos Artuke
Variety: Tempranillo (90%), Graciano (10%)
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 27 April 2018

Tasting Note:
Bright crimson. Attention grabbing nose of black cherry and plum skin – intense and vibrant at the one time. Medium bodied, flavour-wise the palate follows on from the nose with the same cherry/plum skin quality. Quite simple, but a decent and satisfying drink nevertheless.
Score: 16/20

2015 ROSE KENTISH SHIRAZ TEMPRANILLO MOURVEDRE - WE'RE GOING TO IBIZA!

Amid the flurry for Italian varieties in this part of the world, Tempranillo has been rather lost in the conversation. Yes, there are a good number of examples of Tempranillo from Australia, both as a single varietal and as a blend. However, Tempranillo doesn’t seem to be as ‘on trend’ as the likes of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.

Former Ulithorne winemaker Rose Kentish has fashioned a delicious wine from McLaren Vale, blending two of the region’s cornerstone varieties, Shiraz and Mourvedre, with Tempranillo. The result is a wine that is composed and savoury, a touch of Spain in South Australia. In terms of sheer drinkability, it has plenty to offer. At a mere $25 per bottle, it delivers excellent value for money.

2015 ROSE KENTISH SHIRAZ TEMPRANILLO MOURVEDRE
Producer: Rose Kentish
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 15 September 2017

Tasting Note:
Deep plum red. Bright nose of sarsaparilla, cola, blood plum and cherry. Hints of tar. Dry, medium bodied, well judged extract. The Tempranillo really comes through, lending the wine a distinctive savoury quality. Lovely balance all round. Real Iberian feel to the wine. Good drinking. Excellent value.
Score: 16.5+/20

2013 MARC ISART ‘LA MALDICION’ - MY CURSE

Spain is arguably the most exciting wine producing country in the Old World at present.  Talented young vignerons are (re)discovering ancient vineyards in hitherto forgotten regions and bringing them back to life.

Marc Isart has been a fundamental player in the evolution of serious Garnacha from the Gredos mountains near Madrid.  He is the winemaker behind Madrid label Bernabeleva.  This wine is his solo side project.

'La Maldicion', a Tempranillo-heavy blend, sums up the new Spain to a tee.  It is a bright, juicy and hip--pocket friendly wine that simply wants to be drunk.  Co-fermentation of 85% Tempranillo with 15% Malvar, a white grape, has kept the wine very fresh and bright.

2015 MARC ISART ‘LA MALDICION’
Producer: Marc Isart
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Region: Madrid, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 25 November 2016

Tasting Note:
Bright crimson. Lifted nose – literally leaps out of the glass. Black cherry, dark plum and sarsaparilla. Very vibrant and lively. Bright and fresh. Dangerously drinkable. Red fruit meets black. The sort of wine that’s hard to say no to.
Score: 16/20

2014 ARTUKE ‘PIES NEGROS’ RIOJA - SHUFFLE YOUR FEET

Artuke is a relatively small Rioja producer farming 22 hectares on the banks of the River Ebro in Rioja Alavesa. ‘Pies Negros’ aka ‘black feet’ is a traditionally vinified blend of Tempranillo (90%) and Graciano (10%) that sees 14 months maturation in barrel.

Stylistically, it is an attractive, easy drinking style of entry level Rioja that is made for contemporary Mediterranean cuisine.

2014 ARTUKE ‘PIES NEGROS’ RIOJA
Producer: Bodegas y Vinedos Artuke
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 21 September 2016

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Bright nose of black cherry, raspberry and sarsaparilla. Medium bodied, the nose flows through to the palate with is medium in body, dry and savoury. Well made and easy going, just what one wants from this sort of wine. Made for tapas fare!
Score: 16/20

2014 BODEGAS EXOPTO 'BOZETO DE EXOPTO' RIOJA - ORIGINAL

Bodegas Exopto is one of the leading vanguard of new Rioja producers styling wines that are true to their place of origin and aren’t tied by the binds of oak maturation that have traditionally dominated the region’s classification system.

To quote proprietor and vigneron Tom Puyaubert, ‘my wines are made in the vineyard, not in the barrel!’ Bozeto de Exopto is a wonderful expression of Tom’s philosophy. He uitilises a high proportion of Garnach and ages the wine in seasoned wood.

The result is a Riojan take on a Cotes du Rhone, if you will, and it works extremely well. More please!

2014 BODEGAS EXOPTO 'BOZETO DE EXOPTO' RIOJA
Producer: Bodegas Exopto
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 1 October 2016

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Attractive nose of black cherry, raspberry and cherry cola. Dry, medium bodied, round, soft and gently spicy. Mid-weight and vibrant. A Spanish take on Cotes du Rhone, if there is such a thing.
Score: 16/20

2014 PALACIOS REMONDO ‘LA VENDIMIA’ - HARVEST SONG

Alvaro Palacios, Decanter ‘Man of the Year’ is Spain’s reigning superstar. With interests in Priorat, Bierzo and Rioja, he fashions an eclectic set of wines, l’Ermita being the most famous, ranking alongside Vega Sicilia as a Spain’s greatest wine.

In Rioja, Palacios heads up the family estate Palacios Remondo. While Tempranillo generally takes centre stage in Rioja, Palacios prefers to showcase Garnacha. ‘La Vendimia’, aka ‘the harvest’ is a 50:50 blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo. This is not a super-complex or intellectual wine, but a wine that cries ‘drink me’. Juicy is the best word to describe it.

The 2014 rendition of ‘La Vendimia’ benefits from gentle aeration, so there’s no harm to decant if drinking now. It should flesh out in bottle and continue to drink well for another 2-3 years.

2014 PALACIOS REMONDO ‘LA VENDIMIA’
Producer: Palacios Remondo
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2014
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $33.00
Date tasted: 28 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby in appearance. Open nose of macerated red fruits (strawberry, cherry), aniseed. Lively and vibrant, initially sweet-fruited moving to savoury on the mid-palate. Quite soft and gentle, fine tannins providing texture. Juicy. Good length.
Score: 16.5/20

2014 SC PANNELL TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA - JUKEBOX IN IBERIA

It would be an understatement to say that Steve Pannell is on a hot streak. Put simply, the man can do no wrong. Winemaker of the year, 2014 Jimmy Watson trophy-winner, the plaudits keep coming. Pannell is deservedly credited with producing wines that are bright, fresh and suited to the contemporary Australian palate.

One such wine is the Iberian-inspired Tempranillo Touriga. Medium in body and savoury in character, this blend is perfectly suited to McLaren Vale’s warm climate and even better suited to the Australian outdoors lifestyle and summer of endless barbecues.

This is a wine that took out the trophy for Best Red Blend at the Royal Victorian Wine Awards, a signpost, if ever, that Australian wine has entered a new era. It is the sort of wine that merits good food and good company, so fire up the barbie and get that marinated leg of lamb on!

2014 SC PANNELL TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA
Producer: SC Pannell
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2014
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $28.00
Date tasted: 24 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Mid-ruby in appearance. Open nose of dark cherry, plum, sarsaparilla, floral notes. Medium bodied, The nose flows through to the palate which is medium in body, fine and supple. Savoury in character; a food style well suited to contemporary Mediterranean cuisine – BBQ butterflied leg of lamb would be a perfect match.
Score: 17/20

2013 PALACIOS REMONDO LA VENDIMIA RIOJA - SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

Alvaro Palacios is one of the big names of Spanish wine. His Priorat flagship, l’Ermita is one of Spain’s most expensive and lauded wines. Palacios Remondo is his family estate in Rioja. Stylistically, the wines of Palacios Remondo straddle the line of modern and traditional.

La Vendimia is the estate’s entry level wine, a Rioja Joven that sees a mere kiss of oak. Sweet juicy fruit is the emphasis here, and the wine delivers that in spades. Confit cherry and plum are to the fore, with spice lending complexity on the finish. While it may be relatively uncomplicated, this is a wine that scores very high on the drinkability scale. With its upfront fruit, it is very well suited to lightly spiced cuisine such as Moroccan tagines. Delicious!

2013 PALACIOS REMONDO LA VENDIMIA RIOJA
Producer: Palacios Remondo
Variety: Tempranillo, Grenache
Vintage: 2013
Region: Rioja, Spain
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 17 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red. Attractive nose of berry fruit, touch of vanilla. Sweet fruited, ripe and juicy. Lots to like here – assortment of summer berry fruits. Modern in style, but self assured and rather delicious. The bottle disappeared all too quickly!
Score: 16.5/20

2011 ESPORAO QUINTA DOS MURCAS ‘ASSOBIO’ - WHEN THE RIVER RUNS DRY

Dry wines play as important a role in the Douro Valley these days as the great fortified wines that originally made the region famous. Given the quality of wines that can be produced at a competitive price, it should be no surprise.

Although Esporao’s base is in the south of Portugal, it has a presence in the Douro Valley in the form of Quinta dos Murcas. ‘Assobio’, a blend of varieties based on Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo) showcaases the region to a tee.

2011 was an exceptional vintage in the Douro Valley, so good that it was widely declared. The dry wines also deliver. The 2011 vintage rendition of Esporao has excellent fruit intensity and good structure matched by ripe but savoury black fruits. It should develop in bottle, gaining complexity, for several years.

2011 ESPORAO QUINTA DOS MURCAS ‘ASSOBIO’ 
Producer: Esporao
Variety: Tempranilo et al
Vintage: 2011
Region: Douro Valley, Portugal
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 3 October 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Brooding nose of dark cherry, blackberry, star anise, oak char. Dry, medium bodied, excellent fruit intensity – real drive. Black fruit shrouded by a cloak of fine powdery tannin. Savoury on the mid-palate. Should improve in bottle over 5-6 years.
Score: 16.5/20

2013 QUINTA DO CRASTO TINTO - REVIVAL

For centuries, Portugal’s Douro Valley has been synonomous with the famous fortified wines of Oporto, particularly Vintage and Tawny Port. However, times have changed and demand for sweet and fortified wines, once revered across Europe, is not what it once was.

The region’s producers have had to adapt and change with the times, or face the reality of a rapidly shrinking market. Dry red and, to a lesser extent white, wines have been the saviour of the Douro Valley.

The region has a wealth of indigenous varieties and boasts a unique terroir, both of which lend themselves to the production of high quality dry table wine. Quinta do Crasto was one of the leading wave of producers in the region fashioning quality dry wines and develop good export markets for its wine.

The 2013 Quinta do Crasto Douro Tinto, one of several red wines in the range, is very much a modern, Old World meets New expression of the Douro Valley. It is fruit forward, with juicy red berry fruit with some stemmy, savoury notes on the mid-palate. The wine lends itself to relatively early consumption and could just as well be drunk on its own as with appropriate food.

 
2013 QUINTA DO CRASTO DOURO TINTO
Producer: Quinta do Crasto
Variety: Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional
Vintage: 2013
Region: Douro Valley, Portugal
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $35.00
Date tasted: 8 August 2015

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Bold nose of raspberry jam and black cherries which both follow through on the palate. Fruit forward, moving to savoury in the mid-palate. Green peppercorns? Fine acidity carries the finish. Solid.
Score: 16/20

2013 QUINTA MILÚ ‘MILÚ’ - BANG ON THE MONEY

The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic modernisation of the Spanish wine industry. By and large, this change has been positive, revitalising many DO’s and elevating the quality of Spanish table wines. That said, some of Spain’s greatest and most distinctive wines are its most traditional, ‘old school’ Riojas that have undergone extended barrel and bottle ageing.

Ribera del Duero, to the south of Rioja, is the source of some of Spain’s most ambitious and famous wines, among them Vega Sicilia, arguable Spain’s greatest red wine. There are many would be pretenders to the throne, wines that are picked at the precipice and indulged with the Rolls Royce treatment when it comes to winemaking and oak maturation. Not all examples are successful.

This particular example is a relatively modest wine with no great claims to greatness. Aged for 6 months in a combination of French and American oak, it is a fruit forward expression example of Ribera del Duero intended for early drinking. It succeeds in most areas, delivering impressive balance and textbook varietal character and an undeniable sense of place.

2013 QUINTA MILÚ ‘MILÚ’
Producer: Quinta Milú
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2013
Region: Ribera del Duero, Spain
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 9 September 2014

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry road. Lively, prototypical Tempranillo nose of morello cherry, plum and cola. Floral notes. Medium bodied, suave and silky. Flavour profile much the same as the nose. Well controlled and everything is in place with excellent balance. Relatively simple, but a textbook example of the style. Good length and satisfying depth.
Score: 16/20

2005 LA RIOJA ALTA VIŇA ARANA RESERVA - STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

Founded in 1890, La Rioja Alta is one of the Rioja region’s most traditional producers. It is one of a dwindling number of bodegas that matures its wines for an extended period in American oak bottles and in bottle prior to their release.

Viňa Arana is one of several wines in the La Rioja range, all of which are red. Primarily Tempranillo with a touch of Mazuelo (aka Carignan), it spends three years in American oak and a further two to three in bottle prior to release.

While some may be baulk at the use of American oak with Australian Shiraz and Cabernet, there is little doubt that it can work very well (when judiciously used) with Tempranillo, particularly Rioja. The 2005 incarnation of Viňa Arana delivers and immediately complex nose of spicy vanilla oak intermingled with plum and strawberry. The palate doesn’t disappoint, silky and suave, a model of creamy oak and bright plummy fruit.

This is the sort of wine that one won’t find anywhere else in the wine world. At around or just under $50 per bottle here in Australia, it remains a dead set bargain, particularly given that the current offering in this market is approaching a decade from vintage.

2005 LA RIOJA ALTA VIŇA ARANA
Producer: La Rioja Alta
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2005
Region: Rioja, Spain
Alcohol: 13.0%
Closure: Natural cork
Retail Price: $50.00
Date tasted: 9 August 2014

Tasting Note:
Deep ruby. Alluring and complex nose of sweet vanilla pod, coconut, strawberry, plum, cinnamon and nutmeg. Medium bodied, sauve and silky. Plum flows through to the palate together with vanillin oak and spice. Real flavour and intensity. Tannins make themselves known on the finish, suggesting a bright future ahead.
Score: 17.5+/20

2008 SPINIFEX TAUREAU - CLOSE, BUT NO CIGAR.....

Spinifex Wines is deservedly recognised for producing some of the region’s finest southern French-inspired red wines. They are sensitively made wines that showcase Barossa Valley terroir. What about when Spinifex turns its hands to things Iberian, in this instance a Rioja inspired Tempranillo blend?

On the nose, the wine is true to style, with typical notes of cola and sarsaparilla. The palate is savoury and medium bodied, but doesn’t quite live up to the bouquet. There’s a fair bit to like here, and one cannot complain of a lack of ambition. All in all, it’s a good representation of the type, perhaps lacking a touch by way of complexity.

2008 TAUREAU
Producer: Spinifex Wines
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2008
Region: Barossa Valley
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $30.00
Date tasted: 8 December 2013

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson. Open nose of black cherry, cola/sarsaparilla, tobacco leaf and roasted spices. Dry, medium bodied, typical Tempranillo profile. Palate follows on from the nose. Elegant and stylish; fruit driven. Moderate complexity. Finishes with a touch of warming alcohol.
Score: 16/20

2012 PONDALOWIE MT TEMPRANILLO - NEW WAVE

We have looked at previous vintages of the Pondalowie’s unoaked MT Tempranillo in these pages. The 2012 vintages follows suit and is in fine form. It is a wine that illustrates just how well suited Tempranillo is suited to Australia.

As always, Dominic Morris has captured the varietal essence of Tempranillo, unbridled by oak – medium in body, black cherry entwined with cherry cola/sarsaparilla, fine tannins on the finish. It is a supple and savoury wine, made to be enjoyed with food.

If one was to put together a collection of wines that showcase the ‘new Australia’, Pondalowie MT Tempranillo would mostly definitely be in the mix; moderate alcohol, savoury in character, food-friendly and ever-so drinkable. Isn’t that what most of us want from a bottle of good wine?

2012 MT TEMPRANILLO
Producer: Pondalowie Vineyards
Variety: Tempranillo
Vintage: 2012
Region: Bendigo
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $28.00
Date Tasted: 28 September 2013

Tasting Note:
Crimson to the core. Black cherry, plum and ‘cherry cola'. Medium bodied, well poised, glossy texture, excellent fruit intensity in the black cherry, sarsaparilla mode. Finishes long and savoury with gentle chalky tannins. Lots to enjoy now, but should develop further complexity with additional bottle age.
Score: 16.5/20

2010 LA LINEA TEMPRANILLO - THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD

There is sufficient evidence to suggest that the Spanish grape Tempranillo has a future in Australia. In its native Spain, it performs well in a number of sites and climates, in regions including Rioja, Navarra, Ribera del Duero and La Mancha. Better examples from Australia, such as those from Pondalowie Vineyards, capture the varietal essence of Tempranillo perfectly, combining plummy plumpness, with a savoury mid-palate and a lick of spice.

This effort from La Linea is bang on for varietal character; it is the sort of wine that is perfectly suited to the contemporary dinner table, be it with a Sunday roast, grilled meat straight off the barbecue and other dishes that suit our casual dining culture.

Made by Peter Leske, formerly of the Australian Wine Research Institute, with input from David le Mire MW, La Linea Tempranillo is sourced from two relatively cool sites in the Adelaide Hills. The wine sees maturation in seasoned oak barrels, allowing the fruit to take centre stage. In the glass, it is quintessential Tempranillo; plum, cherry, leather and tobacco vying for attention. There is a lot to like here, confirming the view that Tempranillo is a variety to look out for in the next decade.  

TEMPRANILLO 2010 
Producer: La Linea
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Adelaide Hills, South Australia
ABV: 14%
Closure: Screw cap
Retail Price: $27.99
Date tasted: 21 October 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright ruby red. Clean nose of plum, aniseed and clove. Dry, full bodied, plush and velvet mouthfeel, initially fruit driven, dominated by plum, cherry and damson, quickly moving to savoury (fig, leather, tobacco) on the mid-palate. Spice adds lift on the finish, which is framed by fine powdery tannins. Enjoy now and over the next 3-4 years.
Score: 16+/20

2010 PINDARIE BAR ROSSA TEMPRANILLO SANGIOVESE SHIRAZ - TRANS-MEDITERRANEAN BLEND

Pindarie Wines is a relative new player on the Barossa Valley scene. This particular wine is a rather eclectic Mediterranean-inspired blend of Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Shiraz. It’s the type of wine that would only be made in somewhere like Australia, free of the shackles of wine of origin controls and the influence of history.

As to the wine itself, it just about works. Once exposed to a decent amount of air, it opens up to reveal black cherry, Turkish delight and dusty herbs. The palate is quite savoury, delivering a pleasant interplay of cherry fruit, powdered cocoa and dried herbs. If one had to be critical, the tannins are a touch assertive on the finish, and there is moderate complexity. All in all it’s a decent effort that would suit hearty cuisine such as Shepherd’s Pie.

2010 BAR ROSSA TEMPRANILLO SANGIOVESE SHIRAZ 
Producer: Pindarie Wines
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia
ABV: 14.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Price: $25.00
Date tasted: 23 August 2012

Tasting Note:
Deep crimson in colour. Bright nose of black cherry and Turkish delight. Dry, medium bodied, quite savoury, initially hard to define, with air black cherry emerges together with powdered cocoa. Dry tannins carry the finish. The alcohol is inobtrusive.
Score: 15/20

S.C. PANNELL TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA – SPAIN MEETS PORTUGAL

Freed of the corporate hackles of his role as Hardy’s chief winemaker, Steve Pannell has gone from strength to strength since venturing out and bottling wines under his own label. Mostly made from McLaren Vale fruit, the Pannell portfolio of primarily red wines display a level of sophistication, depth and complexity rarely seen in McLaren Vale.

This interesting blend of Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional is no exception. It is a very savoury animal and very true to type, so much so that it is an ‘Iberian ringer’. We have yet another winner from the talented hands of Steve Pannell.

2010 TEMPRANILLO TOURIGA
Producer: S.C. Pannell
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2010
Region: McLaren Vale, South Australia
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $25.00
Date tasted: 22 July 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright cherry red in colour. Clean and youthful nose of morello cherry, Satsuma plum and sarsaparilla. Medium bodied, svelte in texture, savoury in profile, prototypical Tempranillo character; cherry and plum. Drinking well now.
Score: 16/20

2008 PONDALOWIE MT TEMPRANILLO - MINYA TERRA

Tempranillo, Tinto Fino, Cencibel – whatever you call it, it’s the great grape of Spain, inspiring wine such as Vega Sicilia and Riojas, new wave and old school. Tempranillo is a relatively recent arrival to these shores. Notwithstanding its notional affinity to Australian conditions, it doesn’t seem to have piqued the interest of Australian grapegrowers and winemakers to the same extent as the great Italian varietals Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.

Bendigo’s Pondalowie Vineyards is one producer that has embraced the Tempranillo grape wholeheartedly. It does help somewhat that the man at the helm here, Dominic Morris, is well versed with the grape, having visited and done vintage many times on the Iberian Peninsula (though his work has mostly been in Portugal).

MT (short for minha terra, the Portugues for ‘my place’) is one of three single varietal Tempranillo’s in the Pondalowie range. It doesn’t see any wood, and is therefore a pure expression of the Tempranillo grape. The result is a savoury wine, supple in texture, with fine grape tannins and a gentle ripple of acidity. It is well assembled wine, suited to the food of its country of origin. Gracias Dominic Morris and the team at Pondalowie Vineyards!

2008 MT TEMPRANILLO
Producer: Pondalowie Vineyards
Variety: Tempranillo et al
Vintage: 2008
Region: Bendigo, Victoria
ABV: 13.5%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $24.99
Date tasted: 29 February 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright plum red. Slightly reserved nose of plums, cherries and sarsparilla. The palate is silky in texture, very elegant and savoury, soft plum and briar, gentle spice, earthy notes. Although not overly complex, this savoury, food friendly wine captures the essence of the variety.
Score: 16/20

2008 PONDALOWIE VINEYARD BLEND - SPAIN MEETS CENTRAL VICTORIA

Pondalowie is a Bendigo-based winery run by couple Dominique and Krystina Morris. The real strength here is the Spanish grape, Tempranillo. Both Dominic and Krystina have worked vintages on the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Portugal, where Dominic visits regularly as winemaker for Quinta do Crasto.

The Pondalowie house style favours food friendly, well balanced wines that reflect their warm climate origin. At all levels, the Shiraz-based wines are rich, full bodied and brooding, but not overdone.

The Tempranillo takes on a real Spanish feel. The entry level Vineyard Blend, a Tempranillo-dominant blend that also uses a bit of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, has an Iberian personality. Oak is negligible, allowing the round plummy fruit to speak for itself. There’s good cleansing acidity as well. One could certainly imagine enjoying a few glasses in a decent tapas bar.   Given the success of Tempranillo here, one wonders why there isn't a greater clamour to experiment with this great grape variety in Australia.

2008 VINEYARD BLEND
Producer: Pondalowie Vineyards
Variety: Tempranillo, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2008
Region: Bendigo, Victoria
ABV: 14.0%
Closure: Screw cap
Format: 750ml
Retail price: $18.99
Date tasted: 24 January 2012

Tasting Note:
Bright plum red. Dark cherry, plum and a touch of liquorice on the nose. Medium bodied, satin smooth in texture. The Iberian influence really comes through. Slightly reminiscent of a juicy Navarra red blend. Not overly complex, but displays good fruit depth, drinks well and is food friendly. Bring on the tapas!
Score: 16/20