“I named my wine range ‘Rusty Mutt‘ because I was born in the Year of the Metal Dog in Chinese astrology. I then ‘Australianised’ Metal Dog to Rusty Mutt.”
“The ‘Conejo Joven‘ Tempranillo was named after my son Tobias, who was born in the Year of the Golden Rabbit. ‘Conejo Joven’ means ‘Young Rabbit’ in Spanish. ‘Joven’ also denotes the youthful style of this Tempranillo.” – Scott Heidrich (Owner / Winemaker)
REVIEWS / SCORES
GOLD MEDAL – 2023 Alternative Variety Wine Show
93 points – Wine Showcase Magazine
93 points – Sam Kim (Wine Orbit)
“This is delightfully expressed on the nose, showing dark plum, olive, smoked game and toasted nut aromas. The palate delivers excellent weight and supple mouthfeel, wonderfully structured by loads of polished tannins finishing persistent and robust. This will be an excellent partner to rich savoury dishes.“
This wine's time has come to an end, but now I have a new range. Vin Sōl is my new label. Same hands, same love of McLaren Vale, and now a new chapter to the story.
Many factors bring about change. Climate and style trends rank highly in the world of wine. Although we have had some mild seasons, overall our grape growing regions are getting hotter. Some of the more traditional French varieties work best in cooler climates and are slowly loosing their appeal in Mediterranean climates like McLaren Vale. Tempranillo originally comes from the Iberian Peninsula, with most plantings in Spain. This wine is made in a 'Joven' style, which means young. It is aged in second and third use American oak puncheons to minimise the pickup of oak tannin and flavour. This produces a very fruit driven wine designed for immediate consumption. It can still benefit from time in the cellar, but only 3 -5 years.
TASTING NOTES
“A very youthful purple / violet with good clarity and depth. Ripe, dark cherries and chocolate notes come over first. With fine nutty spice and savoury meats becoming evident with time in the glass. The palate begins with berry fruits and ripe cherries, then becomes warm and textured like chocolate melting in the mouth. A burst of raspberry pops out near the finish completing this very bright and intriguing wine.”
Scott Heidrich – Owner / Winemaker
Style features
Open fermented, hand plunged and basket pressed. Matured in 4+YO American oak Puncheons for 12 months.
Vintage Rating
8/10. A healthy growing season which produced bright concentrated wines.
Food Matching
Enjoy with Chorizo, Jamon, Paella, Tacos, Spicy BBQ King Prawns, Barbacoa Beef and BBQ Pork Sausages.
