How’s that for prescience? At a tasting that took more than a month to plan, just three days after the Fifa Women’s World Cup final, we were blind-tasting six classic Spanish reds, alongside six from New Zealand. All were made from the world’s third-most extensively planted red-wine variety – tempranillo.
Why is tempranillo not better known here? Unlike varieties such as cabernet sauvignon and merlot, which are grown widely around the world, 87% of tempranillo’s total plantings are in Spain. The classic red-wine grape of Rioja, in northern Spain, in recent decades this early-ripening, thick-skinned variety has spread successfully to cooler Spanish regions, notably Ribera del Duero, Navarra and Penedès.
Does tempranillo have untapped potential here? The short answer is yes. The Spanish reds had a slight overall edge in quality, but on average cost $12 more. My favourite was Bodegas Muga Seleccion Especial Reserva Rioja 2018 (★★★★★,$62-$67), an impressively complex and savoury red, weighty and invitingly perfumed. These New Zealand bottlings, especially those from the Hawke’s Bay region, are well worth discovering.
Esk Valley Artisanal Collection Hawke’s Bay Tempranillo 2021 ★★★★★
Still very youthful, this is a refined, deeply coloured red. Mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, it has strong, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak, savoury notes and firm, ripe tannins adding backbone. Fine value. (13.5% alc/vol) $29
Hans Herzog Marlborough Tempranillo 2018 ★★★★
This organically certified red was estate-grown in Wairau Valley and barrel-aged for three years. Full-coloured, it is savoury and nutty, with berry, plum and spice flavours showing good complexity. (14% alc/vol) $66
Marsden Bay of Islands Tempranillo 2020 ★★★★½
This elegant, ageworthy Northland red was matured for a year in French oak barriques. Full-coloured and fragrant, it is mouthfilling, with strong, fresh, berryish, spicy flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, and has obvious potential. (14% alc/vol) $37
Obsidian Waiheke Island Tempranillo 2020 ★★★★½
Estate-grown at Onetangi, this is a stylish red, full-coloured, mouthfilling and savoury, with concentrated, complex flavours that build well to a lingering, smooth finish. (13% alc/vol) $51
Rock Ferry Trig Hill Vineyard Tempranillo 2022 ★★★½
Certified organic, this was estate-grown at Bendigo, in Central Otago. Deep ruby, it has lively, berryish flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, fresh, cool-climate acidity, and considerable complexity. (Not yet released.) (13.5% alc/vol)
Wine of the week
Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay Tempranillo 2021 ★★★★★
This standout red was barrique-aged for a year. Weighty and brambly, it is deeply coloured, fragrant and full-bodied, with rich blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, earthy, savoury notes and a resounding finish. (14.5% alc/vol) $40
