Mr Mick 2010 Tempranillo
Region: Clare Valley SA | $15
Okay, let’s start with a declaration of interest. The winemaker, Tim Adams, is a client of mine, but I reckon this South Australian dry red offers such immense bang for your buck I’d be remiss not to review it.
Tempranillo is the leading red grape variety in the Spanish region of Rioja and it’s quite rightly received a lot of attention in Australia over recent years. It seems to have a particular affinity for areas such as the Clare Valley, which, like Rioja, have a bit of altitude and a continental climate with warm summers and a decidedly chilly winter.
Tim likens this wine to a low-phenolic shiraz and I can easily see what he’s getting at. There’s some obvious front-of-palate tannin but the middle palate is dominated by juicy fruit flavours and the finish is soft and welcoming.
The wine is named after legendary Clare Valley winemaker Mick Knappstein, who was Tim’s mentor when he started his career at the Stanley Wine Company. Tim and his wife Pam Goldsack have now purchased that winery.
Visit http://www.mrmick.com.au
— JOHN ROZENTALS*
*John Rozentals is a Charles Sturt University Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) graduate.
Samples for tasting and review should be addressed to John Rozentals, PO Box 3484, Rhodes 2138.
