A juicy, soft and supple tempranillo bursting with red fruits, hints of anise and raspberry. Great depth of flavour and a long, satisfying finish.

In 1991, Tahbilk husband and wife team of winemaker Alister Purbrick and artist Rosa Dal Farra decided to combine their talents to produce a range of alternative varietal wines showcased under Rosas boldest art works. Now widely known and made, these varieties validate the foresight Tahbilk had.

Opaque cherry red. Rich fruit aromas (cherry, black plum jam) with spicy (green peppercorn) and smoky notes. Intense, warm, with firm tannins nicely structured by oak ageing and a backbone of subtle fruit acidity. Designed to pair perfectly with new trends in avant-garde cuisine. Excellent with all kinds of tapas prepared with fresh ingredients; red meat, oil-rich fish and cheeses. Equally exquisite with cured Ibérico pork. Serve at 14–16°C.

Tempranillo blossoms in the Vale. Medium bodied style, approachable with attractive aromatics, dark cherries & spice, with hints of blackcurrant & blueberries and finishes with soft elegant tannins. Vegan friendly.McLaren Vale, “The Vale” is home to sustainable winegrowing in Australia with the highest number of certified organic and biodynamic vineyards in the country. David Paxton’s history of grape-growing in the Vale started in 1979 and today Paxton is a fully certified organic and biodynamic wine company who embrace sustainable practises in their vineyards and winery. Vale Organics honours McLaren Vale and the organic pioneers of this wonderfully innovative and sustainable wine growing region.

Occupying some of the more elevated land in the Canberra District, Quarry Hill's climate is well-suited to produce one of the great red grapes of the world, tempranillo. Taking a cue from Spanish joven styles of young & fresh tempranillo, Quarry Hill's expression is fresh and bright-fruited, but guided in by the chewy skin tannin characteristic of the grape variety. The versatility of the wine means its not just for tapas or other Spanish foods, it also goes great with any grilled dishes or roast pork.

Mount Majura, from the emerging wine region of the Canberra District, considers Tempranillo as their flagship variety. With a dense core of dry savoury tannin, interwoven with fleshy cherry and blueberry fruit, and embroidered with a host of aromas, from sweet spices and pomegranate, to malt and leather.

Upon much deliberation, our overall masked winner revealed a style and character that provided us with a fairly clear cut insight into the modern day advances of a region etched in history and tradition. Cosme Palacio consistently produces one of our favourite Riojas that always offers incredible value for money. Produced predominantly from Tempranillo grown in cool, relatively high altitude sites, this is modern Rioja that's bright and ready to go thanks to a touch of bottle age. It's medium bodied with fine tannins and juicy in the mouth. Black fruits dominate the flavour profile with some delicate cedar and earthy notes adding complexity to a delicious example from this much loved region.