The 2023 vintage is the third release of our Tempranillo Gin and our best yet. Using some of the best Tempranillo grapes grown in Australia, we hand pick our grapes from Mazza vineyards in Donnybrook Western Australia and macerate in our Australian Dry gin for approximately 9 weeks until the flavour profile is just right.

This year's vintage is gin forward - not sweet at all, but super soft on the pallet with plenty of dark forrest fruits from the Tempranillo and a dry finish from the tannins.

It drinks amazing neat, as a gin sour or a favourite of ours is the Ginger Temp - a simple twist on a classic G&T made with Tempranillo gin and dry ginger ale.

It's the perfect winter gin for your collection

The Story:

It was still dark when the Little Things team hopped in a ute and drove out to Donnybrook, having received the anticipated call: the Tempranillo grapes, lovingly curated by Dave and Anne of Mazza Wines, were ready to be picked.

The boys got to work hand-selecting and cutting the very best of the grapes, ensuring the best flavour profile possible. By the time the team was happy with their harvest, the sun had made its way up high overhead.

The crates of Tempranillo grapes were loaded into the ute. Backs were slapped and brows were wiped before departing back to Perth, a trip punctuated by a euphoric (and perhaps the world’s greatest) pie from the Dardanup bakery.

At the distillery, the bunches of grapes were macerated in a dry gin, specially made to pair with the fruity and lighter tannins of the Tempranillo. And so it began: under the watchful eye of our Head Distiller, Tom, the base gin was held over the grapes for more than two months.

After drawing the gin off the grapes, we pressed the remaining berries in a traditional wooden basket press to recover the juice. Some of these were blended back into the gin to enhance the depth of flavour, with care taken to manage sugar levels to maintain a lower level of sweetness on the palate. The remaining pressings were collected and will be utilised in a range of cocktails available at the distillery door.

Last year’s Tempranillo Gin was a favourite for many – swiftly selling out and winning gold at the Perth Royal Show. Because of the positive feedback we received, we’ve been driven to try to exceed last year’s efforts. We’re confident that the 2022 release will satisfy those who have been patiently waiting, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it!

Tempranillo Gin - 23' Winter Release