Plan B Shiraz Tempranillo 2011

From Western Australia, which is generally much cooler than most of the other wine-producing regions in this vast place and makes some of Australia’s smartest wines. You get lots of Shiraz here (known as Syrah in France) but not so much Tempranillo, the grape that’s the driving force in Spain’s Rioja region. By adding a dollop of Tempranillo to Shiraz, it lightens and brightens the wine up. Juicy and ripe, this one’s a black cherry beauty. I plan to buy another bottle.