Marqués de Riscal began with a dream back in 1858 and over 150 years later, the Bodega decided to commemorate the 150th Anniversary with a Gran Reserva Rioja that befitted the history and standing of such great wines. The result it this outstanding Tempranillo blend from the 2001 vintage, a truly special vintage in the Rioja region. Dark cherry in colour with complex aromas of balsamic, charred wood and layers of spices. The palate follows with a viscous mouthfeel with a good concentration of tannins and acid structure. A truly remarkable Rioja that pays a great tribute.

Chris Taylor and his team have harnessed the old and new perfectly with their exciting and engaging range of wines. Their La Reto Tempranillo is a lovely balance of old world Spanish characteristics and a modern, perfumed attractiveness. Red berries, plums and hints of liquorice are all present along with a delicious minerality to give this wine that extra dimension.

A mouthwatering beauty from the RedHeads Crew, inspired b Spain, made right here in Australia. A blend of Tempranillo, Grenache and Graciano, it's a lusciously big glassful of dark cherry, plum and raspberry fruit with smoky, toasty oak notes. Layered and complex ... a mouthfiling treat!

A great opportunity to try a Rose made from 100% hand-picked Tempranillo grapes from the heart of the Rioja Alta. The wine is fermented and aged for 5 months in French Oak Barrels, giving an exciting complexity and a nice body with unusual aromas that include red fruits like strawberry, raspberry, cherry and smoky notes as well as spices typical from French oak.In mouth it has a rich texture, it's rounded, with excellent acidity, structure and flavour leaving a long finish. All these qualities will improve with a period of bottle-ageing, so if you like saving your bottle for later, this is also your kind of wine.

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.

A rich unmistakable Rioja jammed packed with flavours of ripe dark berries and plum. This bargain has been a favourite of ours for a while now and is a fabulous match to hearty casseroles and spicy sausages.

Made by famed Spanish producer, Martin Codax, who started producing wine in Rias Baixas before expanding into Bierzo, Ribera del Duero and Rioja. Musica En El Camino is fruitdriven, modern, easy drinking with a healthy dash of oak. This is foolproof Rioja.

Created by wine specialists from eleven different countries, this innovative brand aims to bring together the worlds best drops under a single, distinctive, quality mark - the woolly red sweater of Tussock Jumper. This Tempranillo has the aroma of black wild fruit like blackberry and mulberry. The palate is soft, silky and well balanced with a full lingering finish. best served at room temperature and your favourite pizza.

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.