The history of Bodegas Tempore is deeply rooted in vine growing in and around the town of Lécera some 40 kms south of the city of Zaragoza in NE Spain. The Yago Aznar family have an intimate knowledge of and passion for their vineyards, having been viticulturalists here for four generations. The winery itself was founded as recently as 2002 enabling the family to vinify their own wines from their own fruit for the very first time.
Quality is the watchword throughout the growing season to ensure that pristine fruit can be harvested and quality remains the watchword throughout the winemaking process to ensure that the authentic, pure flavours and character of those grapes is retained in the bottle. All 70 hectares of the Tempore vineyards are certified organic with focus on local grape varieties, namely Garnacha Tinto, Tempranillo, Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca. Some of the Garnacha Tinto vines are at least 70 years of age. The vines are planted on a plateau at 550 metres above sea level. The climate is strictly Mediterranean with hot, dry summers. The soils are limestone and sand with a high mineral content.
Absolute respect for the environment is a central pillar to the working philosophy of the Yago Aznar family. To them, organic cultivation means minimum intervention, natural winemaking and respect for the rhythms of the land. Wines are vinified and matured in a variety of equipment all perfectly housed and monitored in the modern winery. A mix of modern and tradition reflects the family approach here. The winery building itself is constructed with the most traditional elements of the area such as Aragon bricks and alabaster; inside there are impressive modern installations for the fermentation, bottling and ageing of the wines. An extensive cask maturation hall is isolated from sound and light with complete temperature control.
Bajo Aragón, Spain
The Crooked Nose –
Quite possibly the my find of the year
A spectacular discovery for me this year is Generacion 73, a 100% Garnacha organic Spanish wine. There was a time when Grenache was the dominant grape in Spain and this is an example of how the country is still producing amazing wines with this variety. The first thing that hits you is the deep garnet colour and strong legs hinting at its 14% alcohol content. It goes on with a show-stopper performance delivering forward-flavours of candied red fruit, spices, and black pepper. It drinks well and in my opinion is just as well suited as an aperitif as it would accompany a nice steak. There’s good acid so I suspect that although I would class this as an easy-drinking wine, it is rich enough to benefit from a few years in the bottle.