2006 la RETO Tempranillo

91 Points — Nick Stock, October 2008

Barossa Valley   Quality Alc./Vol : 14.5% Drink : 2013 Closure : Diam

Edgy cherry and tarry fruit aromas in this wild Barossan Spaniard, there's a wild meaty character, some fragrant lift, sweet oak and ripe cherry fruits. Sweet entry and charming middle-palate fragrance, sweet soft tannins and a core of fruit flavour running through the finish. Youthful and balanced.

94 points — Tony Keys, October 2008

Dark as midnight to look at in the glass very rich smells wafting out the glass long before it gets to the nose, including a faint hint of chocolate that often is found on Barossa Shiraz. In the mouth it's far from Shiraz it sits a little heavy to start with but non the less it's a good journey ripe fruit flavours being pulled in by the bite of tannin and acid. It's big at 14.5 and I feel could do with being down a degree on the alcohol, but it is good — 94 points and worth the money.

Christopher Hayes, August 2008

Tempranillo has to be one of the contenders for the "most exciting variety" currently starting to appear in vineyards across Australia. The backbone of the classic red wines of Spain it will have no trouble finding similar climates in Australia, and should make bolder styles of the variety in the Barossa. This new winemaker has set a standard with this release - bursting with red fruits, warm earth and spice - although perhaps more elegant than expected. Don't expect me to complain about that. A lovely drink!

95 points — Andrew Caillard, February 2008

The 2006 Quattro Mano "la RETO" Tempranillo is a limited release debut wine made by "four hands" - a winemaking team lead by the buccaneer-looking Chris Taylor - former winemaker at Henschke, a Ph.D and now the head of winemaking at the highly energetic and emerging superstar Barossa producer Maverick Wines.

This is a brilliant, beautifully made wine based on the seductive, classic and ethereal Spanish grape variety Tempranillo. The fruit is derived from two distinguished micro-vineyards located in the south and central districts of the Barossa Valley around Lyndoch and Angaston. Still a relatively rare and obscure variety for this region it is a compelling thought that the Barossa was so-named by Colonel Light in the 1830's - because the landscape reminded him of the battle site of the same name in Spain.

Only 200 cases of this wine have been made. la RETO means "The challenge". Winemakers Tony Carapetis, Philippe Morin and Chris Taylor (the fourth hand is the "Hand of God") wished to make something special and different. This has been more than achieved. The wine is first class and more than stumps up the quality and character of a wine three times its price. Deep in colour, it has beautiful fragrant red cherry/ plum/ violet aromas with underlying cedar/ mineral notes. The palate is well concentrated and delicious with lovely fruit complexity and freshness, plum/ red cherry/ cedar flavours, mid-palate richness and fine slinky loose knit tannins. It finishes firm and long with cedar/ liquorice characters. This is a gorgeous debut wine under the micro Quattro Mano label. It’s bound to age well, but it’s great to drink now.