Two Oceans Shiraz 2010 (South Africa) - Wine Review

Received this red wine in a gift pack along with the Sauvignon Blanc back in December and I am quite impressed with the high QPR (Quality-to-Price Ratio) of this Shiraz from South Africa. From the LCBO general list, this is always available.

TWO OCEANS SHIRAZ 2010 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#699249) (D) - $9.95

Tasting Note:

Screw cap. Nose seems closed with ripe red fruits, pepper and oak with more of the same on the palate. Some sweet overtones. Medium-full bodied with crunchy, ripe tannins. Quite nice. A great value at $9.95 and a notch higher than the Yellow Tail Shiraz. Would go well with lamb chops or BBQ chicken with mint chutney.

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Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2009 (Australia) - Wine Review

This red wine was my first purchase of 2012. Acquired from the 'Smart Buys' release in January, this multi-award winner offers great value.

JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ 2009 - Padthaway, South Australia, Australia (#673897) (D) - $16.95

Tasting Note:
Screw top. Ripe red fruits, blackberry and currants aromas with touch of barnyard. Uncomplicated and quite straightforward with currant and blackberry flavours on the palate. Fresh tasting with very nicely integrated oak, not your typical big Aussie Shiraz. Doesn't have the legs to stand up to spicy goat curry, but would work well mildly-spiced rack of lamb. A good, everyday, house-style of Shiraz.

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Red Knot Shiraz 2008 (Australia) - Wine Review

Received this one last November and was surprised to see the unique cap. Very interesting top with a string-like wrap that you peel off before you simply pull out the re-sealable plastic cork. I've never seen a cap like this!

RED KNOT SHIRAZ 2008 - South Australia, Australia (#619395) - $15.95 (on sale now)

Tasting Note:
Interesting resin cork. Ripe raspberry, herbal spice aromas. Straightforward and uncomplicated Shiraz with gobs of red berries, along with cedar oak flavours. Chewy, ripe tannins. Medium-bodied. Good, easy-drinking AU Shiraz that I'll be enjoying with chicken meatballs in masala curry sauce.

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2006 Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this fine Shiraz/Viognier almost 2 years ago to the day from the Vintages release that was titled "Celebrate for less! 20 party wines under $20."

YALUMBA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2006 - Barossa, South Australia, Australia (#524926) (XD) - $19.95

Tasting Note:
This red wine has fresh blueberries, blackberries, white pepper, herbal aromas that follow through on the palate. Finishing with dark chocolate on the medium-long finish. Fine tannins. Well-integrated wine. Aged well and could have been aged another 2-3 years, but is definitely ready to drink now. No decanting necessary. Will be enjoying this with "Limri (curry leaves) Chicken" - sorry could not find a recipe for it. :)

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2008 Nugan McLaren Parish Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

Tasted this Decanter Award Winner over the weekend.

NUGAN ESTATE MCLAREN PARISH VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2008 - McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia (#072603) (D) - $24.95

Tasting Note:
Cassis, blackberry, pepper and herb aromas follow through on the palate, finishing with dark chocolate notes. Perfectly ripe tannins. Enjoyed it with chicken lababdar and butter chicken. If it meets your budget, this is highly recommended.

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2009 Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this red wine over the weekend from the most recent Vintages Release.

THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2009 - Barossa, South Australia, Australia (#595306) (XD) - $16.95

Tasting Note:
Big aromas of lush blackberry, blueberry, earth, mint and pepper. Dark fruit flavours, dark chocolate, turning a bit spicy at mid-palate. Full-bodied, chewy. Dry. Ageable, but ready to drink now. Well-made Shiraz, but is bit too bitter for my taste.

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Syrah & Shiraz Around the World: October 1 Vintages Release

The next Vintages release on October 1 features Syrah and Shiraz from around the world. If you didn't know, these 2 grapes are identical. So, when you see either "Syrah" or "Shiraz" on the bottle, it really is a reflection of the style of wine. Also, Syrahs tend to be from the Old World, while Shirazes tend to be from the New World. I like both Syrahs and Shirazes, so I've picked 1 from each region in this release. Perhaps you can see the difference.

Other wine picks in this release are quite good, including a Chardonnay from Chile - great value!

Also featured in this release is a guide on how to start a cellar and wines for Thanksgiving.


Red Wine:

• THORN-CLARKE TERRA BAROSSA SHIRAZ 2009 - Barossa, South Australia, Australia (#595306) (XD) - $16.95
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN ROCHES NOIRES 2009 - AC Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun, Midi, France (#251637) (D) - $19.95
• WAYNE GRETZKY NO. 99 ESTATE SERIES PINOT NOIR 2008 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#129056) (XD) - $18.95
• POST HOUSE PENNY BLACK Unfiltered 2008 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#148619) (XD) - $19.95
• DOMAINE LES YEUSES LES ÉPICES SYRAH 2008 - Vin de Pays d’Oc, Midi, France (#177584) (XD) - $14.95

White Wine:

• SOL DE ANDES RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2009 - Casablanca Valley, Chile (#254334) (XD) - $13.95
• DR. HERMANN RIESLING KABINETT 2008 - Prädikatswein, Erdener Treppchen, Mosel, Germany (#189647) (MD) - $16.95
• VINELAND ST. URBAN RIESLING 2009 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#38117) (MD) - $19.95

Dessert Wine:

• FLEUR DU CAP NOBLE LATE HARVEST 2008 - WO Coastal Region, South Africa (#173781) (S) 375mL - $20.95

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2008 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet (Australia) - Wine Review

Life outside of wine has been keeping me busy, hence the long time between wine reviews. Tonight's wine is from the general LCBO listing and was recently gifted to us.

PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL CABERNET/SHIRAZ 2008 - South Australia, Australia (#285544) (D) - $16.55

Tasting Note:
Red berries, touch of earth aromas. Gentle ripe fruit, currants and light oak on the palate. Medium-full bodied. Chalky tannins really get onto your teeth - will definitely have to brush well tonight! Not big and uncomplicated. Good, everyday wine that will go well with many simple meat dishes, including curries and pastas.

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2008 Heartland Shiraz (Australia) - Wine Review

It's time for another wine review. This one was purchase only a few days ago from the latest Vintages Release.

HEARTLAND SHIRAZ 2008 - Langhorne Creek/Limestone Coast, South Australia, Australia (#661934) (D) - $19.95

Tasting Note:
Warm aromas of mint, eucalyptus, wet earth. Flavours of sweet red fruits (raspberry and cherry), herbs, pepper. Medium-bodied. Screw-top. Very uncomplicated. A good wine, but probably doesn't warrant the rating of 91 points given by Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh of the The Big Red Wine Book. Will be having this with one of my favs - simple rice and lentils dish with chaas (yogurt mixed with water, salt & cumin) called khichdi.

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2006 The Garden Path Shiraz/Cabernet (Australia) - Wine Review

Purchased this one back in November of 2010, and could have cellared it for a couple more years, but felt like opening it tonight.

THE GARDEN PATH SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2006 - Langhorne Creek, South Australia, Australia (#199539) (XD) - $17.95

Tasting Note:
Mint, cassis, black currant, oak, earth/barnyard aromas. Black currant and blueberries on the palate. Ripe tannins. Fleshy, medium-bodied. Tasty. I think it will go well with the Chicken Biryani we're having tonight!

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2008 Oscar's Estate Vineyard Shiraz, Barossa (Australia) - Review

Purchased this one back in April as part of the New Zealand + Easter Vintages Release.

OSCAR'S ESTATE VINEYARD SHIRAZ 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia (#225631) - $15.95

Tasting Note:

Pepper, mint, herbal, blackberry, light oak/smoke aromas. On the palate, it opens with surprising gobs of sweet mulberry. Settles down with ripe blackberry fruits and cocoa. Easy drinking and fruit forward. It should pair nicely with the Chicken Lasagne we're having tonight!

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Review: Cat Amongst the Pigeons Alley Cat Shiraz/Grenache 2008

Wasn't feeling too well the last few days, so I was staying away from the wine and drinking warm Brandy with honey. Yummy. Feeling much better today, so here's what I am drinking tonight:

CAT AMONGST THE PIGEONS ALLEY CAT SHIRAZ/GRENACHE 2008 - Barossa Valley, South Australia, Australia  (#127621) - $15.95

Tasting Note:
Minty blackberry, raspberry, basil aromas. All follow through on the palate. Finishes with earth notes. Chewy, ripe fruit. Smooth tannins. Not a big wine. Smooth and easy drinking with a medium-long finish.

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Review - Yellow Tail Shiraz 2009

I am sure many of you have tried this one before, so I was hesitant to include a review of this bottle that I just opened a few minutes ago.

YELLOW TAIL SHIRAZ 2009 - South Australia, Australia (#624544)

Review:
Dark ruby purple colour. Mulberry, violet aromas and flavours. Plus blackberry and ripe fruit centre. Medium-full bodied.

Overall impression: Smooth and goes down easy. Quite nice and very drinkable, but lacks a bit of body and structure for my taste. A good wine that appeals to many and great for get-togethers.

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