Zonte's Footstep Madrugador Tempranillo 2021: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Rich, Fruity & Firmly Structured

Zonte's Footstep Madrugador Tempranillo 2021 is a dark, generous Fleurieu red with plenty of flavour but a lively streak running through it. Rich plum, fig, blueberry and dark cherry meet liquorice, spice and cedar, while bright acidity and firm, grainy tannins give the wine shape and length. Certified organic and vegan, it is a serious Australian take on Tempranillo with enough fruit to drink beautifully now and enough structure to reward a little more time in bottle.

Highlights

• Australian Certified Organic and vegan friendly
• Crafted by Zonte's Footstep — an independent South Australian producer established in 2003
• Rich plum, fig and dark cherry with spice, liquorice and cedar
• Fleurieu-grown Tempranillo, an early-ripening variety particularly well suited to warm Australian conditions
• 97 Points Winestate; 93 Points Wine Orbit; 92 Points The Real Review; Double Gold CWSA Best Value 2022; Gold CWSA 2022; Gold Women’s Wine & Spirits Awards 2024; Silver Critics Challenge 2022
• 14.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

Deep and dark in the glass, this is an expressive Tempranillo built around ripe plum, fig, blueberry, mulberry and dark cherry. Floral notes and warm spice bring lift, followed by liquorice, cola, sarsaparilla and a savoury cedar character. The palate is medium-bodied but generously weighted, with concentrated dark fruit balanced by bright, crunchy acidity. Firm, grainy tannins provide real structure without overwhelming the fruit, carrying the wine through a long, savoury finish.

Winemaking

Madrugador takes its name from the Spanish for “early riser”, a reference to Tempranillo's naturally early-ripening character. Zonte's Footstep makes the wine as a structured, medium-bodied expression of the variety, preserving plenty of ripe fruit while allowing its naturally savoury, cedar-like tannins to play an important role. The finished wine is certified organic and vegan, with minimal sulphur dioxide added.

Vineyard & Vintage

The fruit comes from South Australia's Fleurieu region, where Tempranillo's early-ripening nature makes it well suited to the climate. The 2021 wine shows both impressive fruit richness and freshness: plum, fig, blueberry and cherry are balanced by vibrant acidity and firm tannin. Its combination of ripe fruit and structure has also translated into an unusually strong collection of critic scores and medals for Australian Tempranillo.

Why We Love It

This is Tempranillo with a little more depth and authority than the easygoing, juicy styles often seen in Australia. There is generous dark fruit, but the savoury spice, fresh acidity and textured tannins stop it becoming heavy. Add certified organic farming, vegan credentials and a stack of excellent reviews, and it becomes a particularly interesting bottle for anyone wanting to explore serious Australian alternative reds.

Food Pairing

The combination of dark fruit, fresh acidity and savoury tannin makes this a terrific food red, particularly with grilled, roasted and slow-cooked flavours.

Try matching this wine with →

• Herb and garlic lamb cutlets — Find a Recipe
• Smoky mushroom and capsicum paella — Find a Recipe
• Slow-cooked beef cheeks — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Bring this out when dinner calls for a red with more interest than the usual Shiraz but you still want generosity and warmth. Excellent for a long table, roast dinner or tapas spread where the bottle can unfold alongside the food.

Cellaring

Already drinking well, particularly with food or after some air, but the concentration, acidity and firm tannin structure give it further potential. Enjoy now through around 2030 under good cellar conditions, allowing more savoury, earthy and dried-fruit complexity to develop with age.

Producer

Zonte's Footstep is an independent South Australian producer established in 2003, working with vineyards across regions including the Fleurieu, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Adelaide Hills and Barossa. Fruit is selected according to where each variety expresses itself best, with a focus on wines that reflect both grape and place. The name has an unusually local origin: fossilised footprints from the enormous prehistoric marsupial Diprotodon were discovered while the original vineyard was being replanted. Madrugador sits within Zonte's organic range and combines the producer's playful approach to labels and names with seriously judged, regionally expressive winemaking.

Related Wines To Try →

If you enjoy Madrugador's combination of ripe fruit, savoury detail and Tempranillo structure, these three organic expressions explore the variety from quite different angles.

• Brighter, lighter and herb-driven Barossa Tempranillo — Kalleske Dodger Tempranillo
• Silky, fragrant biodynamic McLaren Vale Tempranillo — Paxton Tempranillo
• Juicy, unoaked Spanish Tempranillo with savoury spice — Mesta Organic Tempranillo

FAQ

What does Zonte's Footstep Madrugador Tempranillo taste like?

Expect rich plum, fig, blueberry, mulberry and dark cherry with liquorice, warm spice, cola and cedar. The fruit is generous, but bright acidity and grainy tannins give the palate a savoury, structured finish rather than a jammy sweetness.

Is Madrugador Tempranillo dry, and how full-bodied is it?

It is a dry, medium-bodied red, although the concentration of dark fruit gives it quite a substantial presence. Tannins are medium-high and distinctly grainy, while the acidity is fresh and energetic, so the wine carries its 14.0% alcohol well.

Is Zonte's Footstep Madrugador Tempranillo organic and vegan?

Yes. The wine carries Australian Certified Organic certification and is also marked vegan on the bottle, making both credentials straightforward rather than inferred from general winery practices.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

Yes. The bottle states that minimal sulphur dioxide is added, so this is not a No Added Preservative wine. Organic certification limits the way the grapes are grown and allows lower-input winemaking, while a small sulphur addition helps protect the finished wine.

How should I serve Madrugador Tempranillo?

Serve around 15–17°C in a medium-to-large red wine glass. Avoid serving it at a warm Australian room temperature; a brief 20-minute chill before pouring can make the fruit and acidity look brighter.

Should I decant the 2021 Madrugador?

Yes, particularly if opening it now. Around 30–45 minutes in a decanter will soften the firm tannins, open the dark fruit and spice, and give the savoury elements more space to emerge.

What food goes best with this Tempranillo?

Its combination of ripe fruit, tannin and acidity works beautifully with lamb cutlets, slow-cooked beef, chargrilled vegetables and tomato-rich dishes. For a vegetarian match, try smoky mushroom paella, roasted eggplant or grilled capsicum with paprika and herbs.

How long can Zonte's Footstep Madrugador Tempranillo 2021 be cellared?

It is ready to drink now but has enough fruit, acidity and tannin to continue developing through around 2030 under good storage conditions. With age, expect the fresh dark fruit to become more savoury, with dried fruit, earthy spice and softer tannins.

Who will love this wine?

This is a great choice for someone who enjoys medium-bodied reds with plenty of flavour and a firmer savoury backbone. Fans of Tempranillo, savoury Grenache or medium-bodied Shiraz who want dark fruit without excessive heaviness should find plenty to like here.

If I like Rioja or Shiraz, will I like Madrugador Tempranillo?

Quite possibly. Compared with classic Rioja, this Australian expression is fruitier and more immediate, while retaining Tempranillo's cherry, spice and savoury tannins; compared with Shiraz, it is generally less peppery and has a firmer, more cedar-and-cherry shaped palate.

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