Like a Drop of Good Red?

gajinoz

gajinoz

Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
11,650
Just saw an interesting item in the paper here. An Australian red wine just won an international award, (out of 9000 entries), for the worlds best Shiraz.

Nothing too exceptional about that, Oz wines win awards all the time but the interesting part is that this wine sells here for around $20 a bottle.

Time for a trip to the bottle shop for me ....
 
I've got a couple of more words for you.

Jim Brown vineyards at Clare Valley
Lodge Hill 2002 Shiraz

That's the big winner. I'll be looking for a bottle for dinner tonight.
 
Gaj, do you mean Jim Barry? Either way, let us know how it is and I'll look for it locally, too.

Jack
 
donovan said:
Gaj, do you mean Jim Barry? Either way, let us know how it is and I'll look for it locally, too.

Jack
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Ahh, yes, you could be right. I was typing from memory, not a good idea when you have a memory like mine!
 
That's how many California wines get expensive too.

Gallo Hearty Burgundy, which used to be a gallon "jug" wine selling for $2-$3 about 20 years ago, won a few awards, and is now bottled as Gallo Coastal Reserve and sells for about $30 for a 750mL bottle. The Mountain Burgandy which replaced it as Gallo's "jug" wine sucks.

Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon sold for $3.99 a bottle in 1987.

Neither of these is a great wine, but they are both good wines. Just a couple examples to show you what a couple awards will do. And if they get a good write up in "Wine Spectator" you'll be lucky to even find them, at any price.

These used to be my family's "a bottle always open", and "normal table wine" choices. Now they're too expensive for that, and I haven't found a suitable, consistant wine to replace them. Although the Delecato Merlot comes close.

kkimo
 
gajinoz said:
Just saw an interesting item in the paper here. An Australian red wine just won an international award, (out of 9000 entries), for the worlds best Shiraz.

Nothing too exceptional about that, Oz wines win awards all the time but the interesting part is that this wine sells here for around $20 a bottle.

Time for a trip to the bottle shop for me ....
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Isn't Shiraz originally an Australian variety? I'm far from a wine expert but the first time I ever saw Shiraz was around 4 years ago and it was Aussie. I tried some and liked it and I've always thought it was an Aussie variety.

Mike
 
Another developing wine-producer is South Africa. Some friends of ours are real wine consumers, and they went over there to give seminars on real estate. Came back with cases of very nice stuff, and still have an occassional case delivered.
 
mycroftt said:
Isn't Shiraz originally an Australian variety? I'm far from a wine expert but the first time I ever saw Shiraz was around 4 years ago and it was Aussie. I tried some and liked it and I've always thought it was an Aussie variety.

Mike
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I believe Shiraz is an alternative name for the Syrah grape.

Andrew.
 
Andrew is right about Shiraz and Syrah being different names for the same grape. Presumably it originally came from Shiraz in Persia....

My favourite Shiraz is from Australia. Lindemans Limestone Ridge 1991, I've still got a couple of bottles, I hope.

I think the New World winemakers really got to grips with the Shiraz grape, maybe it has something to do with the climate in Australia and South Africa, perhaps the growers make good use of the longer season than is possible in France. The French used to treat Syrah as something for making cheap table plonk. The Aussies in particular, having no respect for tradition ;) just set about making damned good wine with whatever came to hand.

I used to drink Bordeaux wines out of preference. Now I'd choose Australian.

Roger
 
Mellow Chaos said:
Give me Boone's Farm Watermelon any day.
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M-m-m-m. Boones Farm! Tuesday is always a good year for this fine varietal!!
 
Ming65 said:
Gaj I have 3 words for you - Lindemans Bin 45
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ding ding ding... we have a winner!
The 'ex' & I used to get that by the case at a decent discount- always kept a couple of bottles around the house.
Hats off to the Aussies for the strides they've made.
 
I reckon we are lucky when it comes to wine in Oz. The average $8-10 bottle (like my beloved Bin45) is usually of very high quality.

There is also quite an aussie/south african connection now as well. Many of the wine makers in the Margaret River region of West Oz are expatriate South Africans. The Haak family being one of the most prominent.
 
i went to some places around perth and fremantle and I must admit....that the wines in Australia are very good and inexpensive...need to go back for a visit....I could retire there....very nice and friendly :)
 
=Voodoo= said:
i went to some places around perth and fremantle and I must admit....that the wines in Australia are very good and inexpensive...need to go back for a visit....I could retire there....very nice and friendly :)
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Next time you're here come to the east side. I'll show you around cool climate wine country. You'll definitely like it. :)
 
The Aussie Shiraz wines are fabulous - I talked with a local cellarmaster about it and he basically said that Australia is really coming into their own in the wine industry - and it is introducing healthy competition which has driven prices down against comparable California wines - I've been getting very good bottles of Australian Shiraz here for $10-15.
 
I picked up a bottle of the Lodge Hill Shiraz today. $17. I'll probably give it a try tomorrow night.

Jack
 
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