May 20th, 2011

Samuel’s Gorge Tempranillo from McLaren Vale, Australia.

Grape 100% Tempranillo Most often found in Spain, particularly in the Rioja wine region, the name Tempranillo is thought to be linked to the Spanish word “temprano” meaning “early”. The grape supposedly ripens weeks earlier than other varietals.   Facts So this would be my first Aussie Tempranillo, at least from what I can remember, but then again my memory is pretty horrible. Tempranillo has always been a grape that has fascinated me. It is…

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What is Bottle Shock?

Nope, bottle shock isn’t when you jump out wearing a scary mask to surprise your favorite wine! Sorry to disappoint, although that would have been a fun topic! “Bottle shock” is actually very hard to describe scientifically, but it’s certainly very real. When a wine is reported to be suffering from bottle shock, it is said to be closed or muted on the palate. All the individual parts of the wine become disjointed, leaving you…

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