After working vintages in Spain in the late 90's and observing the versatility of Tempranillo, we decided to plant the variety at Gemtree. Located in the foothills of McLaren Vale, the site and the soil are perfectly suited to growing Tempranillo.

Eleven years on, we are delighted with the consistency of results we have achieved. We continue to push the boundaries, with the commencement in 2007 of biodynamic viticulture and a hands-off winemaking approach.

While the first La Linea Tempranillo was released in only 2007, the partners in La Linea draw on over a decade of practical experience with this intriguing variety. David LeMire MW has spent far too much time in Spain tasting the variety, while Peter Leske has been stuck in the winery in Australia, making it!

Working with two very different Tempranillo vineyards located at each end of the beautiful Adelaide Hills, we craft a medium-bodied, savoury dry red in the 'Joven' style, and a dry, food-friendly rosé.

Of the three wines made at Mayford, Tempranillo is distinguished by its earthy fragrance, depth and rich spice. It is a lovely variety to work with, lending itself to our naturalistic approach to winemaking, and sitting comfortably with Porepunkah's continental climate, where a bony ridge-planting at the top of our dryland vineyard keeps its inherent vigour in check.

The product of a tiny family enterprise where handcrafted means exactly that, Mayford Tempranillo reflects a unique site in the foothills of the Victorian Alps and offers an interesting counterpoint to some of the warmer-grown examples in Australia.