2020 Adelaide Tempranillo/Touriga, S.C. Pannell

• Style: Off-Dry, structured red with feathery tannins
• Taste: Dark plum, spiced cherry, cinnamon, cloves, liquorice
• Food: BBQ & grilled dishes, stews, roast dinners, beef, game
• Occasion: Weeknight ease or Sunday lunch centrepiece
• Serve: 16–18°C, decant 20 minutes, drink now through 2025

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Dark plum and spiced cherry open the palate, threaded through with cinnamon, cloves, and liquorice dust. The tannins are feathery and refined, never domineering, weaving red cranberry notes across a long, layered finish. This is restraint with backbone — structure without aggression, built entirely for the table.

The Winery — S.C. Pannell

Stephen Pannell has earned his place among Australia's most celebrated winemakers, twice claiming the Jimmy Watson Trophy and commanding 36 hectares in McLaren Vale since 2014. His philosophy is unshakeable: fruit grown with meticulous vineyard care requires minimal intervention in the cellar. The 2020 blend — 54% Tempranillo from 20-year-old vines, 46% Touriga Nacional from unirrigated south-facing rootstock — was hand-picked at optimal ripeness, given ten days on skins each, then unified in French oak for twelve months. At 14% ABV, it carries its alcohol with poise and clarity, a signature of Pannell's pursuit of freshness through early picking and superior viticulture.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Roasted lamb, grilled beef, hard cheeses like aged Manchego, duck, and game all find their match here. The wine's restraint makes it equally at home on a weeknight or anchoring a Sunday roast. Serve at 16–18°C after a brief decant, and you'll discover why Adelaide Hills producers like Pannell prove that Australia doesn't need to shout to impress. Explore the finest Tempranillo examples we've gathered, or dive deeper into Australian cool-climate reds that reward patience and food.