Steve Pannell Tempranillo / Touriga 2021

Steve Pannell's polished take on Iberian varieties in McLaren Vale. Tempranillo for fruit, Touriga for structure. Distinctive Aussie-Spanish drinking.

Steve Pannell blends about seventy per cent Tempranillo with thirty per cent Touriga Nacional here, looking to Spain and Portugal rather than France. The Tempranillo grows in the beach sands near Maslin, and some of those vines have passed fifty years of age.

Pannell ages the wine for around nine months in large old vats instead of small new barrels. That choice keeps the fruit in front and the oak out of the conversation.

Touriga adds florals and warm spice over the dark cherry and plum. The wine sits at medium weight with smooth edges. Roast lamb is the obvious match, and it also holds up beside cured meats or a wedge of aged cheese.