This has been garnering some raves lately, as has its sister label Shiraz. I can't quite wrap my head around all the things that happen when an unfamiliar varietal starts to edge its way onto the scene; Tempranillo seems to have made more headway than most of late. I suppose what interests me most is the inevitable experimentation that goes with a new variety, especially when you throw several regions into the mix. When does the lightbulb go off, like it has done in the past for "Margaret River Cabernet," "Hunter Semillon," etc?
This wine makes a pretty good argument for "Heathcote Tempranillo." It's a savoury wine, almost aggressively so on the nose, with meaty aromas of licorice, bitter herbs, sour fruits and the sort of spiciness that speaks of street markets in faraway places. Not your everyday Heathcote red, that's for sure. I'm wondering if there's a bit of brett; if there is, it slips easily into the character of the aroma profile.
On the palate, it's all about structure at the moment, which bodes well for some time in bottle but challenges in the present. On entry, immediately astringent and savoury with an elegant sliver of clean fruit framing the flavour profile. It's remarkably complex for such a young wine. On the middle palate, there's a tad more fruit, not quite sweet, surrounded by an acid and tannin structure that is probably too eager to be considered poised, but that is unarguably lively and fun. The after palate is quite drying yet awash with flavour too, ending on a very long finish.
I'd hardly describe this as elegant, but its robustness is what appeals most, along with a flavour profile that is quite uncompromising and full of detail. Excellent value.
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