You would be right to observe that this week's selection has not been made on the basis of grape variety. I had hoped to find a locally grown Italian variety, as I did last week with Arneis, but try as I did I couldn't.
So today I shall be mostly drinking a wine from the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
Week B (2015) JJ Hahn, Reginald, Shiraz Cabernet, Barossa Valley, 2011. City Cellars $25 (~£12.50).
The Barossa is a region with a wine history based on the family stories of European immigrants across the last 175 years, or thereabouts, and there are a couple of family names associated with this bottle. Firstly, the Hahn family whose sixth generation still live in the original 1840's family home and grow the grapes, and then the Binder family who are relative newcomers at only 65 or so years and take care of the wine-making.
The result is a deep rich ruby red wine with intense aromas of black fruits and oak. It is a mouthful of juicy fruit and tannin with well balanced alcohol. My first impression was that the tannins were a little firm and that the oak was too prominent, but my glass has sat untouched for thirty minutes whilst I caught up with The One via Skype (other video conference facilities are available) and on returning to it I found the whole experience much softer and enjoyable.
I suspect that my evening meal of wine and Pringles (other potato based snacks....) is a recipe for a headache so I have put the bottle out of reach in an attempt to moderate my lonely consumption.
This is under something of a challenge as the apartment in which I am currently billeted is but a stone's throw from 'El Loco' bar a the Slip Inn. This place claims to be famous for being the location where a member of a Scandinavian royal family met the model who became his future bride but tonight is full of drag queens rather than Danish princes. At least I think it is. If not, please accept my apologies, Madam. Anyway, the thing is yesterday was Sydney's Mardi Gras parade, which is a bit like London's Gay Pride but without the drizzle, and the party hasn't finished yet. Which is worse, I wonder, a few more hours of the repetitive bass 'lines' or a hangover? I will let you know.
So today I shall be mostly drinking a wine from the Barossa Valley in South Australia.
The Barossa is a region with a wine history based on the family stories of European immigrants across the last 175 years, or thereabouts, and there are a couple of family names associated with this bottle. Firstly, the Hahn family whose sixth generation still live in the original 1840's family home and grow the grapes, and then the Binder family who are relative newcomers at only 65 or so years and take care of the wine-making.
The result is a deep rich ruby red wine with intense aromas of black fruits and oak. It is a mouthful of juicy fruit and tannin with well balanced alcohol. My first impression was that the tannins were a little firm and that the oak was too prominent, but my glass has sat untouched for thirty minutes whilst I caught up with The One via Skype (other video conference facilities are available) and on returning to it I found the whole experience much softer and enjoyable.
I suspect that my evening meal of wine and Pringles (other potato based snacks....) is a recipe for a headache so I have put the bottle out of reach in an attempt to moderate my lonely consumption.
This is under something of a challenge as the apartment in which I am currently billeted is but a stone's throw from 'El Loco' bar a the Slip Inn. This place claims to be famous for being the location where a member of a Scandinavian royal family met the model who became his future bride but tonight is full of drag queens rather than Danish princes. At least I think it is. If not, please accept my apologies, Madam. Anyway, the thing is yesterday was Sydney's Mardi Gras parade, which is a bit like London's Gay Pride but without the drizzle, and the party hasn't finished yet. Which is worse, I wonder, a few more hours of the repetitive bass 'lines' or a hangover? I will let you know.
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