Tempranillo 2019

The 2019 growing season was another stunning success, reinforcing Marlborough's reputation as one of the world’s most reliable wine regions. Tempranillo is early-budding and -ripening -"temprano" means "early" in Spanish, and likes warm days and cool nights, perfectly matches to our climate The small vintage ripened to perfection, yielding flavourful and healthy grapes handpicked at full physiological ripeness. The low yield of natural concentration truly expresses the soul of Hans’ winegrowing.

Beautiful bunches were with me minutes after picking to destem, leaving only the berries. The pure fruit allowed for a long cold soak, extracting the beneficial compounds from skin and seeds. Letting the temperature rise, the must started naturally to ferment without addition of cultured yeast, capturing the essence of the terroir. I maintained a cool fermentation to allow for prolonged extraction over several weeks. After gentle pressing, the wine matured for 36 months in used French oak barriques. With generous bottle aging on top, this wine rivals a ‘Reserva’ quality from its ancestral home in Northern Spain. No fining. No filtration. Purely natural.

The deep dark colour hints at a powerful and concentrated wine from this small vintage. There is an alluring soft earthiness without losing any fruit flavours. Mouthwatering and savoury acidity is complemented by sweet tannins, providing a silky texture throughout the long palate. Dark berries, chocolate, violet, rose, and spices create a delightful medley of flavours. Dry, balanced, and pure the hallmarks of Hans Herzog are evident. This complex and balanced wine peaks in a lingering finish, promising enjoyment for many years to come.

Ask me for the recipe of my pan-seared duck breast, Chinese cabbage, and red Cambodian rice ©Therese Herzog ;-). A match made in heaven...