Spain is the most vineyard-swept land in the world. Its varietal star is tempranillo, with garnacha (AKA grenache) a close second. Other Spanish red varieties include monastrell (which you may also know as mourvèdre or mataro), mencía, graciano and bobal.
Below are three Spanish-inspired red wines to try: Atlas Wines' The Spaniard (a blend of tempranillo, mataro and grenache), Gapsted Estate's Valley Selection Tempranillo, and La Linea's Mencía.
Add these wines to your must-try list.
2021 Atlas Wines The Spaniard
This red blend is a youthful ruby red with purple hues. The nose is bright and intense with aromas of morello cherry, red currant and tamarillo, and hints of aniseed and tomato leaf. The palate has hints of satsuma plum, mulberry and sweet spice supported by fine acidity and soft structural tannin. The oak influence is minimal, creating a fresh and satisfying drink.Winemaker Adam Barton says: This bright, spicy and textural wine is made from grape varieties of Spanish origin, tempranillo, mataro and grenache, all grown in vineyards in the Leasingham area of the Clare Valley. That's why we call it 'The Spaniard'.
H. What makes this wine unique?
AB. The Spaniard is a pretty eclectic arrangement of varietals. The result is a versatile, savoury and spicy wine that is worthy of some contemplation.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine?
AB. It's hard to go past Spanish-inspired dishes when enjoying this wine. Think patatas bravas, chorizo, olives, eggplant and more.
RRP $29.99 | Drink to | Shop this wine
2022 Gapsted Estate Valley Selection Tempranillo
Fresh red and black fruits along with rosewater and violet aromas open up in the glass along with complex oak notes. Bright, ripe flavours of red and black mulberries, blood plums, and redcurrants are intermixed with oak characters of mocha and chocolate. The cool-climate tempranillo has a unique signature of natural acidity and ripe tannins intermingling with each other, the wine tantalising your palate towards a long and persistent finish. Too easy to drink now and too good to not let age gracefully.Winemaker Toni Pla Bou says: Tempranillo is one of our key emerging varieties as it thrives in North East Victoria, which has similar attributes to where it originates in Spain. This expression of tempranillo is a small batch wine created from parcels of fruit carefully selected by our winemaking team from Acacia Park Vineyard in the King Valley.
H. What makes this wine unique?
TPB. Our wine is a strong varietal expression of tempranillo while highlighting the King Valley region. It captures the essence of the growing season and the vineyard, nurtured by our long-term grower, before being passionately crafted by our winemaker into the remarkable and ageworthy wine it is.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine?
TPB. Enjoy with a roast rack of lamb with garlic and herbs.
RRP $35 | Drink to 2038 | Shop this wine
2021 La Linea Mencía
Aromas of pepper (white and black!), red cherries and plums. Fleshy but with a fresh tannin/acid backbone that is quite unique, it has youthful appeal but with cellaring gains greater depth and complexity.Winemakers Peter Leske, Alanna Pepper and David LeMire say: The first to do so in the Hills, we’ve grown mencía for a decade and made it into a wine since 2016. We love the vibrance, the intensity, and savoury tannins of the variety. Every year we learn something new, as both growers and makers; it’s not about novelty, but about pushing the frontiers of what our soils and climate can do.
H. What makes this wine unique?
PL, AP and DLM. The first block of mencía in our region has exceeded everyone’s expectations! Established as something of an experiment, it has become the benchmark against which others measure their wines. It's gained recognition for both its consistency and classic varietal signature, despite the variation provided by Mother Nature.
Its fruit intensity and tannin structure are genuinely special.
H. What is the ultimate food pairing for this wine?
PL, AP and DLM. It will complement any roast or grilled meats (even rabbit or venison), and can tolerate a light chill in warmer months. We recently enjoyed it with roast vegetables with a touch of smoked paprika. Be bold! Lamb biryani – just go easy on the chilli. Or get some seriously good hard cheese: you can’t go past manchego.
RRP $32 | Drink to 2030 | Shop this wine
Image credit: Ian Routledge/Wine Australia.
