Ysios Seleccion Tempranillo 2018

Written By Campbell Mattinson

Ysios Seleccion Tempranillo 2018.

At six years of age this Spanish tempranillo from the Rioja wine region is so meaty, dry and substantial that it really does need a stint in the decanter. This baby needs some air. It tastes essentially of raspberry, resin and marshmallow, earth and leather, roasted nuts and just plain toast, though there’s also a salted/earthen/herbal character whispering about the edges, which here we will call complexity. It’s not a boring wine. It’s also not soft and easy-going; there’s a lot of mouth-puckering tannin, which gives the finish a real bite. It feels serious, and it means business, the latter impression aided by the warmth of the wine’s 15% alcohol. Personally I’m not a great fan of the reds of Rioja but I’d argue that this particular release has a fair bit going for it, so long as you enjoy red wine that’s gutsy and dry.

AU $55, 15% alcohol, cork sealed.

Campbell Mattinson

Campbell Mattinson has been an independent journalist, wine critic and photographer for forty years. He founded The Winefront, is a former chief editor of the Halliday Wine Companion (and former editor of Halliday magazine), and is the only Australian to have won the Australian Wine Communicator of the Year Award more than once. He is 100% independent, and tastes between 5,000 and 10,000 wines each year, blind and in comparative brackets as often as is practicable.

More about Campbell Mattinson

Mattinson is also the founder of the Mattinson Photography business.

https://www.campbellmattinson.com
Previous

Luke Lambert Syrah 2023
Next

Gentle Folk Sangiovese 2023