Heirloom Vineyards Adelaide Hills Tempranillo 2022

This Heirloom Vineyards Tempranillo was made from our best Adelaide Hills Vineyard in Birdwood whose manicured old vines embody the very best in cutting edge, but old school viticulture and winemaking. Hand tended vines, sorted bunch by bunch with 30% whole bunches, naturally open fermented, basket-pressed and stored in well seasoned French oak barriques from bespoke coopers for 9 months before bottling AROMA Red berries of late Summer, rosewater, geranium, and violet flowers. The aromatics are primary, with very little if only understated oak odours in the back stalls. Herbs both fresh and dried, and some wild strawberries. Here is a just-ripe and savoury aromatic profile, that hints rather than screams, but is nevertheless unmissable. PALATE Clean and bright flavours of black and dark berries, and the creamy palate texture of gently ripe, cool-climate tempranillo grapes. Yet the palate’s true signature is the soon-felt linear acidity, which drives the wine through your mouth. The finish is pure harmony: the blackberry fruits and the plush texture underscored by pillowy and present tannins meld before the fresh and clean end of a living red wine. Too easy to drink thoughtlessly and too good to not take time over. OVERALL Tempranillo does call back to its primaeval home, that being the Iberian Peninsula. As such a robust hard-fleshed fish stew cooked with smoked pimenton and a bare knife-point of dried chilli - and too much garlic - would suit the wine well. Perhaps chorizo and chickpeas added, too. Tempranillo is that sort of red wine. As unconventional as a Spanish anarchist.