Tempranillo Touriga 2015

Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional are indigenous to the Iberian Peninsula and are the most famous red grape varieties of Spain and Portugal respectively. Tempranillo is also grown in Portugal where it is known as Tinta Roriz and traditionally blended with Touriga Nacional and other indigenous varieties to make both dry red table wines and port. Their climatic suitability to our South Australian wine growing regions, generally means that they thrive in our warm climate with fewer inputs in the vineyard, resulting in increased sustainability and wines with great natural balance, complexity and flavour. Touriga Nacional is new to many Australian wine drinkers and produces lusty, powerful, medium bodied red wines with pungent fruit characteristics of fruit mince or plum pudding, nutmeg spice and floral notes. It blends well with the luscious juicy blackberry, plum, earth and cocoa that is Tempranillo. The Portuguese variety, Tinta Cão has also been added to the 2015 blend. This gives more spice and backbone. Tinta Cão provides an elegant floral and fruity taste.

THE VINTAGE Spring and early summer, right up until the first week of January were quite warm and very dry, while the remainder of January and early February were abnormally cool, returning to steadily hot and very dry straight after. As a result, vintage kicked off a week earlier than normal and was extremely fast and furious. While yields were reduced, the reds showed excellent fruit, colour and tannin. While we may have said this about previous vintages of this wine, the 2015 Tempranillo Touriga is undoubtedly the best one to date. It has more depth of flavour than its predecessors, which can be attributed to aging of the vines and an ever developing understanding of style. WINEMAKING

Variety 48% Tempranillo 47% Touriga 5% Tinta Cão Varietal Origin Spain (Tempranillo), Portugal (Touriga & Tinta Cão) Vineyard McLaren Vale and Barossa Valley Process Hand-harvested, crushed, and traditionally vinified in small open- top fermenters. 7 months in 500 litre mature 5-6 year old French oak puncheons with 20% in new oak.

Alcohol 13.5%

FOR THE SENSES

Flavour Profile Abundant Tempranillo black fruits, plums, cocoa and wet earth overlaid with Touriga National’s pungent fruit mince, violet scented florals and nutmeg/cinnamon spices. The intense and tightly intertwined flavours are primarily of fresh blackberries with plum pudding and panforte.

Structure & Texture Juicy, luscious and silky. It is a rich flavoursome, medium bodied wine. The palate is long and consistent with integrated tannins that provide for a balanced finish, and a synergy with food.

CELLARING Part of the allure of this wine is its power and youthful exuberance, best enjoyed over the next five years whilst it’s fresh and alive. SERVING Being a young juicy medium bodied wine it would be ideal for a wide range of dishes. Ideally enjoy alongside Tapas and especially jamon, salami, stuffed olives, roasted peppers or a terrine. www.scpannell.com.au