Toppers Mountain Tempranillo 2010 (New England, NSW)
13.5%, Screwcap, $32
Source: Sample
www.toppers.com.au

It makes me happy that the two wines that caused me to create a ‘New England’ tag are both super smart drinks. This Tempranillo is, like its Gewurtz partner, wonderfully authentic, a properly rustic and ferrous Temp that would not be out of step in a similarly priced lineup of Spaniards.

Already bricking at the rim (in true Tempranillo form), this is rather secondary smelling wine with some of the red earth and slow cooked beefiness I’d associate with Mudgee reds (which makes sense geographically). Savoury, darkly earthy palate has slightly raw acidity and dry tannins but backed by mid palate richness.

Like a modem Rioja, this is clever, earthen dry red of savoury appeal.

Drink: 2012-2018
Score: 17.8/20 92/100
Would I buy it? With some bottle age and slow cooked lamb shanks, absolutely.