2025 Mercer Tempranillo

Aaron Mercer is a massive fan of Tempranillo’s potential in Australia, especially in a high-altitude spot like Orange. He’s built this 2025 release in a deliberate Joven style, which is just a fancy way of saying it’s made for freshness and immediate drinking rather than being tucked away in a cellar.

When we tried this Temp the word "gluggable" kept coming up. It’s a mid-weight red that really celebrates the bright, crunchy fruit you get from those cooler slopes. Aaron avoids heavy oak here to let the fruit do the talking, so you get heaps of plush cherries and raspberries with a nice little savoury hit of dried herbs on the finish.

It’s an unpretentious, easy-going red that’s perfect for a mid-week pasta or a casual BBQ. If you’re after something vibrant and smashable that doesn't overcomplicate things, this hits the spot perfectly.

95 points
"Vivid with acaí, blueberries and violet florals. This is very fresh and opulent with purple fruit, turned black earth and poppy seed spice... This is expert handling of the variety and a wine that has a long life ahead."
- Shanteh Wale (Halliday Wine Companion)