Review: Rutherglen Estates 2014 Tempranillo

The Rutherglen Estates’ Tempranillo wine lifts the bar with a sweet, succulent and rich bouquet. It’s everything a ripe and lush Spanish-styled tempranillo should be, combining wonderful expressions of those moreish toffee-apple candy scents with ripe cherries.

Some parcels of the wine are matured in American oak then blended back with parcels from softer French oak, creating a strong but well-integrated textural appeal. A vanillin fragrance from the  American oak colours this wine further. The best of both worlds approach really works well for this varietal. And it is very clear that this early ripening varietal is extremely happy in the warm Mediterranean climate of Rutherglen, producing fruit generous in flavour.

It’s a wine that represents great value as a sweet and fragrant red wine that lingers on the palate, a simple joy to drink at a modest price.

Review: Rutherglen Estates Renaissance 2013 Durif

This multi award-winning durif is just what the doctor ordered. It’s gloriously fragrant, fat and silky on the palate – it’s simply, phenomenal. The nose features licorice, ripe blood plums, prunes, dark chocolate, vanilla and hints of sweet spice. In the mouth its subtle, smooth oak integration and perfectly ripened tannins showcase impeccably balanced fruit.

Winemaker Marc Scalzo is now well and truly leading the charge with this varietal, creating a rare durif with moderate weight, seamless balance of fruit flavours and a long, balanced finish.

Given the delicious palate and balance, a food match such as a rare eye fillet steak or slow-roasted shoulder of lamb would be fitting, but it can happily stand on its own as an awesome autumn or winter fireside wine.

Rutherglen Estates Renaissance 2014 VRM (viognier, roussanne, marsanne)

This is Rutherglen Estates’ finest vintage to date of this lusty white. Flashes of nutmeg and ginger overlay great power coupled with respectful restraint. Granted there are expressive apricot and peach blossom notes straining to be unleashed but for now they are under control and behaving perfectly. This is a truly amazing main course white wine.

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