2022 McHenry Hohnen Tempranillo

From the first swirl, this wine reveals its pedigree—fragrant violets, dark cherries, sarsaparilla, and a touch of savoury black olive. Complex and lifted, with a clear varietal signature and site-driven nuance.

Juicy and layered, the palate bursts with red and dark cherries, allspice, cured meats, and a hint of dark chocolate. The tannins are distinctive—fine yet structured—framing the fruit and leading to a dry, savoury finish that lingers.

Vineyard: 100% Hazel's Vineyard. As McHenry Hohnen's southernmost and certified biodynamic vineyard, Hazel’s Vineyard is located near Witchcliffe in the headwaters of Chapman Brook. The site features free-draining ironstone gravel loam soils over a strong clay base, providing excellent drainage and promoting healthy vine growth. The vineyard's northerly aspect and exposure to cooling Southern Ocean influences contribute to the cultivation of a diverse range of varieties, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Grenache, Petit Verdot, and Mataro.

The 2022 season began with a cool, wet spring that delayed vine development and set the stage for a later harvest. Summer brought warm, dry conditions through December, January, and February, with long sunny days and warm nights—ideal for ripening. The red harvest commenced shortly after the whites wrapped up, with low yields across the board. However, the season delivered excellent tannin ripeness, deep colour, and impressive concentration, making 2022 a standout vintage for red varieties in southern Margaret River.

Sourced from a tiny, 1-hectare parcel of ironstone-rich soil on the eastern side of Hazel’s Vineyard. The fruit was hand-picked and gently destemmed to preserve whole berries, then gravity-fed into open fermenters. Fermentation was whole berry, with gentle extraction over eight days to retain perfume and vibrancy. Post ferment, the wine was softly pressed to small neutral oak barrels for 10 months of maturation before bottling.