DOMINIO DEL AGUILA Penas Aladas Gran Reserva , Ribera del Duero

An interesting blend from the Barossa that is sourced from two vineyards - the Grenache adds spice and lift while the Tempranillo adds savoury characters and texture to the palate.

Badiola is a winery in the heart of Rioja Alavesa. Founded in 2018 by acquiring an existing winery, Badiola offers village and single vineyard wines that display the freshness, elegance and depth of flavours which distinguish Rioja Alavesa. Made from the high quality, low-yielding grapes from hillside (Laderas) vines on limestone soils this is a very versatile satisfying drinking wine and a great example of cooler climate Tempranillo from Rioja Alavesa.

This excellent Shiraz Grenache Tempranillo is a complex and vibrant wine displaying a deep crimson hue. The bouquet exhibits savoury and ripe berry fruit fragrances, while the rich and full flavoured palate ends in a textural tannin finish.

Vital, youthful and vigorous. Joven-style Tempranillo with bright, punchy fruit aromatics of damson plum and mulberry that sit above darker dried herb and wood smoke notes. Mid-weight palate with lively red berry and tart stone fruit flavours that mesh with nervy, bright fruit acids and light, snappy tannins. Harvested from a single, elevated vineyard in the southern Barossa foothills. Handpicked early in the season to capture lively fruit and retain natural fruit acids, selected bunches were fully destemmed prior to fermentation in a small open fermenter. The young wine was allowed to mature on its lees for six months prior to bottling without filtration. Spinifex was started in 2001 with the opportunity to source some great old vine Mataro growing in deep white drift-sand on the Barossa Valleys Western Ridge. Owned by husband and wife team, Peter Schell and Magali Gely, their focus is on regional wines from the traditional Mediterranean grape varieties that have been grown successfully in Australia for over 150 years - Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne and Semillon. They aim to make wines that display signatures of vineyard provenance and vintage, show regional typicity and have a consistent thread of 'house style' that reflects their preferences and experiences with wine. The wines they choose to make are predominately blends, the synergies derived from blending wines of differing character enhance the subtle complexities, even textures and profound personalities delivered from great old vine vineyards.

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.