The acid test for tempranillo grapes

The question seemed superfluous. Is tempranillo, that most dashing dark grape of Spain, an emerging grape variety in Australia? It was clearly a Dorothy Dixer. Not only have tempranillo plantings been growing from 209 hectares in 2004 to 712 hectares in 2012, but so have the believers. At present, 341 wine producers across the country are exploring the possibilities that lie within its black heart. But then the winemaker posing the question, Peter Leske of La Linea, knew all of that.

Leske is a member of a small band of tempranillo makers, recently in Melbourne, called TempraNeo who get together and tour the country spreading the word, educating drinkers and generally drumming up interest in the grape.

I'd say consumer interest is already there. Aussie wine drinkers latched on to tempranillo early.

Over the past decade we've mostly got the hang of keeping those two ''lls'' silent when pronouncing ''tem-pra-neee-o''. We've even shortened it to ''temp'', clearly a sign of Aussie endearment (and it gets around the pesky problem with those quiet lls), and the ready availability of imported tempranillo from Rioja, its spiritual home, only whets the appetite further.

All we need now, is to start seeing the grape's obvious excitement factor consistently reproduced on Australian soil.

Tempranillo has emerged, but has it arrived?

TempraNeo's six members have been looking for answers in six different regions, from cool to warmer in climate, so they have most of the viticultural bases covered: Mayford in the Alpine Valleys, La Linea in the Adelaide Hills, Mount Majura in Canberra, Tar and Roses in Heathcote, Yalumba's Running With Bulls in the Barossa and Gemtree in McLaren Vale.

The cooler sites have generally gifted their wines red fruits and firm, natural structures. The warmer sites tend to bring a greater generosity of flavour, along with black fruits.

If Australian tempranillo is to progress further, to send a clear varietal message, it needs to bring structure and generosity together, consistently. There's also the question of savouriness (yes, please!).

It's a big ask.

Tempranillo is naturally shy in acidity. To get around the problem, many Australian producers will add acid, something that is legal in this country but can jar like a crossed wire.

Cool climate sites might help remedy the situation, but then another problem can arise. It's the question that importer Scott Wasley of The Spanish Acquisition describes as ''textural loveliness'', a phrase that encapsulates perfectly the way good tempranillo glides effortlessly across the tongue.

''We still have a lot to learn about tempranillo,'' admits Peter Leske of La Linea.

So the learning path continues upwards and apace.

Being Australia, there are no rules. Anything goes. This can certainly make things interesting.

Eleana Anderson at Mayford brings some basic pinot noir winemaking techniques to the grape, including whole bunch fermentation with stalks for added tannin (now that's simply not done in Spain) and extended time on skins to extract colour and flavour. The results are pretty intriguing and could be a major step in the development of the grape in this country. Her take on tempranillo is definitely fragrant, elegantly poised with plenty of structure. A pretty tempranillo? Why not?

Frank Van der Loos at Mount Majura introduces the notion of savouriness into his tempranillo. Maybe it's the result of those wild ferments he favours, which by definition can be a bit feral and uncontrolled. I suspect tempranillo doesn't mind letting itself go, running its own race.

It's good news for Mike Brown at Gemtree Vineyards, a biodynamic grower who favours a hands-off winemaking approach, and Sam Wigan at Running With Bulls, who is giving tempranillo time in Hungarian oak, an unusual choice by most standards.

For Don Lewis and Narelle King at Tar & Roses, they're looking at tempranillo's acid profile, among other things. ''We don't treat tempranillo like we treat shiraz or cabernet,'' says Lewis. ''It's got different acid, very low acid.'' This will be news to some Australian makers who insist on making tempranillo as they do traditional Aussie shiraz and end up with nondescript dry red. Tempranillo needs a different winemaking mindset; throwing lots of tartaric acid at the problem should no longer be an option.

But I suspect it is the always-precise wine scientist inside Leske at La Linea who is learning fast and relaying that knowledge, producing some of the more compelling results with the grape as it goes about its new life in a strange land.

He and winemaking partner, David Le Mire, MW, look to six vineyard sites within the Adelaide Hills from Kersbrook to the north (the warmest) through to Birdwood (the coolest).

Blending the blocks together is already producing some of the characters we associate with good tempranillo: fragrance, structure, mouth feel, vibrant fruit, abundant spice.

Winemaking trials - first up, extended maceration - are to follow.

If the work of the TempraNeo wine group is anything to judge the progress of Aussie tempranillo by, I suspect drinkers are in good hands in the coming vintages.

Tempranillo by TempraNeo

Check out these six 2012 Aussie tempranillos ...

1. La Linea, Adelaide Hills ($27) A thrilling snapshot of just how far Aussie temp has come, complex and complete.

2. Running With Bulls, Barossa Valley ($22.95) Lively, boisterous fruit with a savoury heart.

3. Mayford, Alpine Valley ($35, mid October release) Oh so fine, is this the future of Aussie tempranillo?

4. Tar & Roses, Alpine Valleys/Heathcote ($24) All arms and legs, so youthful still, confection, red liquorice.

5. Mount Majura, Canberra ($42) Generous fruit, generous oak, tight structure, give it time.

6. Gemtree Luna Roja, McLaren Vale ($25) Meaty, earthy, rustic style with oomph.