If grape varieties were likened to animals, Tannat would be a beast – strong, fast, aggressive an uncompromising beast like a puma. Honestly, Tannat bunches should be placed in a muzzle as not to bite people wondering through the vineyard. The grape has it all: high acidity, massive tannins, a fair a bit of alcohol and lots of colour. By the way, the name Tannat (as the grape itself) comes from South-western France and in local dialect it refers to the dark colour of the berries.

Not surprisingly, wines made from Tannat need lots of time before they are approachable. It seemed to us that five years was just the right time for our Tannat to start to behave like a grown man. Sometime at the beginning of this year – being proud of our athletic, educated and well-mannered gentleman – we sent a couple of samples to renowned wine writers and we have to admit our boy did well.

Nothing more to say – GO for one of the best Topper’s red ever – it’s the right time!

RRP $38, LUC $21.60

The Reviews

Red and black berries, choc-liquorice scents. Touch of choc mint biscuit, some salt bush/briary notes too. Good inky, lush texture with dark berry fruits, more liqourice and anise characters, smooth tannins and a long, soft finish. So well meshed in all its various components, feels seamless and yet has a spike of interest for all its polish. Lovely to drink, generous enough to convince those looking for fuller flavour and yet holds freshness and lift too – no inkling of the 15.8% alcohol here whatsoever. Great stuff. Mike Bennie/The Wine Front, 93 Points

Medium to deep red colour with a slight trace of purple. The bouquet is scented and rose-petally, the palate is soft and fruit-sweet, and deliciously cherry and raspberry flavoured. Uncannily grenache-like. Sweet succulent fruit and oodles of charm. A seductive wine, very ripe and so unlike any tannat I’ve tasted before. Watch out for the alcohol! Huon Hooke/The Real review, 92 Points

Boom. Just boom. Potentially the slowest moving legs down the edge of the glass I’ve seen for a long time. Smoky vanilla oak giving a cushy ride to layers and layers of ripe dark fruits: black cherries, blackberries and mulberries. Heady with lashings of spice: redolent of rich, fresh Christmas cake…yet it doesn’t smell hot or spirituous, that’s a sign of well handled fruit. And while the palate feels a is full and a little desiccated, it doesn’t burn: The fruit is still there and alive, even if some of the secondary elements are hinting: boot polish/yeasty tones. The tannins are front and square, even slight reminders of acidity on the teeth to nod to the fact it /isn’t done yet…maybe another 5 years? Powerful, rippling, mature. Regan Drew/Vinonotebook, 18 Points (from 20)

This emerging red variety, which is native to Madiran in France needs time to soften and mellow, so it is great to see a 5 year old current release. Deeply coloured, still having a hint of purple, lovely herbal aromas with a spicy hint of forest floor. On the palate it has smooth integrated flavours and is beautifully balanced. It has a long lingering finish. A GREAT WINE. Dan Traucki/independent wine writer and consultant

My dad lives not far from Topper’s (in Armidale) and I can tell you, it’s very much cool climate wine territory – and not exactly your usual Tannat climate. Still, this is an intriguing oddity, with some incredible stats to match. 12g/L TA!!! 3.4pH even though the final wine is 15.8% alcohol! Ignore the numbers and this is interesting wine. For all that alcohol there is an quite attractive cherry character on the nose, plus leather and mint and blood and bone. It’s less about obvious fruit and hardly an easy wine, but the layers of flavour make it quite beguiling, the acidity counterbalancing the alcohol, that cherry fruit lithe and the tannins not abusive (as Tannat tannins come be). I’m not sure how much you could drink of this, but I can appreciate a complex and unique drink when I see it. Andrew Graham/Ozwinereview, 91 points

Bit of funk and meatiness to this one on opening, with chocolate bullets and herbal, undergrowth notes on the nose. Medium to full bodied, but it’s superbly balanced and rather fine – particularly given its just under 16% alcohol. Delightfully fine tannin, berry and briar, with liquorice. Manages to balance that fruit presence with long smooth tannins and a savoury twist on its back end. Good wine. Real interest, satisfaction and presence. Stuart Robinson/The Vinsomniac, 92 points