Chain of Ponds Unchained Tempranillo Barbera 2021

For all you lovers of Mediterranean wine who have been lamenting over the impossible choice between Tempranillo and Barbera, fret no more! What I love about this blend is that, like two equally strong superheroes in a showdown, neither grape has the upper hand. There’s a lifted, pretty red-fruited and purple floral fragrance from the Barbera – it’s slightly confected, like raspberry jelly. The Tempranillo brings the spice, the fertile forest floor, the brown mushroom. The palate is full with a steady flow of darker fruits but the tannin is lithe, and tickles the tongue long after you’ve swallowed. A marvellous interplay is at work here – one that somehow makes sense. Superheroes fighting? Scratch that; working together towards victory.