Lisa McGuigan of the well-known McGuigan wines dynasty in Australia has created the Tempus Two brand from scratch, working from her Hunter Valley base north of Sydney. She has deliberately set out to make Tempus Two as different from the norm as possible, using unusual grape varieties for the region like Sangiovese and Tempranillo, and radical packaging for her bottles, including the pewter-badged wines in her top-tier range.These wines were tasted at a recent roadshow by Tempus Two’s UK distributor, Bibendum Wines, but there are other UK stockists.
the wines
Tempus Two (Australia) Verdelho 2004
Quite a leafy character, with fresh, crisp citrus fruit, and a nice raciness. On the palate it is light and crisp, with sweetness to the fruit but lovely background acidity and a little hint of opulence and fat on the finish. 86/100. £6.15 Bibendum
Tempus Two (Australia) Pewter Pinot Gris 2004
There’s a reserved, powerful quality on the nose of this wine, with a lightly honeyed and smoky edge to full, ripe, thick stone fruit. On the palate there is a sense of richness and mouthfilling texture, with lots of weight and an edge of leesy concentration. Very impressive, and should be a great food wine. 89/100. £11.75 Bibendum
Tempus Two (Australia) Tempranillo 2004
There’s a touch of sulphur at first on this dry, quite smoky wine that blows off to reveal chunkier berry fruit with a little spice and tobacco. In the mouth it has a mouth-filling weight and plenty of chewy, ripe fruit, but a nice savoury edge too. 87/100. £6.15 Bibendum
Tempus Two (Australia) Pewter Sangiovese 2004
Wonderfully rich and full, with extremely good sweetness and a bloody sense of richness. Quite Porty and ripe, with a mulberry and eucalypt character, but great ripeness and richness. Lovely quality here, with touches of chocolate and plum in the finish. 90/100. £11.75 Bibendum