red wine Archives : Me, Annie Bee.

Weekly Winedown #48 Apothic Red

Anna — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 19:32:58 +0000

Well, there’s another week gone. Remember when we were young and the weekend took forever to arrive? Summer holidays felt like they lasted months rather than weeks. These days Monday seems to be here every other day! Before I know it I’m going to be sat, shrivelled in an arm chair with a pointy party hat on trying to blow out the 122 candles on my birthday cake without losing my dentures! I hope that doesn’t happen, I can’t bear the thought of getting that old…unless they give me a body transplant every 60 years. That is probably a post for another time. Today is Friday and time for a winedown! I really should get a theme tune. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t going to bother today but then I spied this bottle of Apothic Red in the supermarket and figured a winedown would justify my purchasing it. The Label This is entirely why I bought this wine. The label is black with a red vine like pattern wrapping around a large ‘A’. Exactly like something you’d see on Pretty Little Liars – sent by the criminal master mind (if you entirely disregard the final, disappointing, episode) to unnerve and antagonise those ”not always innocent’ victims. That’s it. That is the sole reason I bought this wine, because it looked like it was designed by a baddie in a program. I’m not even sorry. The Blurb Inspired by the “Apotheca” a mysterious place where wine was blended and stored in 13th century Europe. Apothic Red offers a masterful blend of wines including Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, creating layers of dark red fruit complimented by hints of vanilla and mocha. Well, that sounds interesting. Despite having a very European looking label (yeah it does) and being inspired by European wine blending, it’s actually a Californian red. Although I usually find Californian wine to be a bit too ‘sunshine and light’ for me I have high hopes for this wine. Full bodied, smooth and slightly spiced is what I’m hoping for! Oh. My. Days. The nose is so soft a familiar smell that I can’t quite put my finger on, maybe blueberry maybe grape (yes I KNOW it’s made of grapes but it never actually tastes of grapes) and vanilla. The taste is sublime, it’s smooth yet full. Almost sweet but with a finish of tart dark berries. There is a definite vanilla and slight oak taste to it – everso subtle. The only thing I didn’t get was Mocha…maybe THAT was the smell? Either way it’s a beautiful wine, one I’d be willing to pay full price for! Sometimes it’s good to judge a book bottle by its cover label. Go and buy it! All the major supermarkets have it in stock! Name – Apothic Red Price – £7.25 (currently 25% off) Colour – Deep, velvet red. Smell – Soft fruit and vanilla Taste – Smooth, fruit and vanilla. Like honey (but not actually like honey because that tastes of bees) Goes well with – That skirt I wore in 2008 Overall score – 5/5 yes it’s bloody perfect.

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Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon – Weekly Winedown #44

Anna — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 18:18:57 +0000

It seems like winter is well and truly here. Storm Ali has been swiftly followed by Storm Bronagh and, whilst we’re lucky enough to not be suffering any damage right here, it has played merry hell with my hair. Lifting it up, blowing it all about and such like. Anyway. Last weeks Blog On weekend was blooming brilliant, I met up with friends, drank gin and listened to lots of knowledgeable people talk. I returned home super inspired! Unfortunately I was also pretty tired, given my old age it seems it now takes me DAYS to get over fun and so, my to do list remains lengthy. You don’t need to know that though. You need to know that this week we are going to partake in a Chilean red, say HOLA… Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon I chose this because it was on offer at £5.99, there was actually little else that screamed out to me on this occasion. The label is, well, simple. It’s white, red and black – the most excellent of colour schemes. A very clean label, with easy to read font and just fact on the front. That’s what I want in a label, not all the noise like on the Starve Dog Lane last week, you can read about that here. The Blurb “A ripe full bodied wine with concentrated blackcurrant fruit flavour, dark chocolate notes on the long velvety finish. This wine is a great match with grilled steak, roasted lamb and tomato based pasta dishes.” I do get excited when chocolate is thrown into the description, it NEVER tastes of chocolate but is often a good winter wine. We’ll see! Well, the ‘nose’ is fruity and slightly smokey, not entirely unpleasant. In fact it’s a smell that makes me very excited to try the wine. The taste does not match the smell, I was expecting something really dry and full bodied. This was light and fruity – almost sweet and a touch oaky. Not quite Pinot Noir but a lot lighter than I expect or want a Cabernet Sauvignon to be! It’s also a bit thin. I don’t like thin wine. My bouche is most certainly not amused this evening. Even at the special offer price, I probably wouldn’t bother if I were you. There are plenty of better wines for the same price. Name – Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon Price – £5.99 (usually £8.99) Colour – A rich red. Smell – Light and fruity Taste – Fruity blackcurrant and a little woody (snort laugh) Goes well with – Despair and chocolate after being dumped. Overall score – 2.5/5

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Weekly Winedown #43 Starve Dog Lane Merlot

Anna — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 18:34:45 +0000

Crikey, it feels like barely seven days since last Friday yet here it is again. Not that I’m complaining, I love a good Friday. Maybe not quite as much as I did eight years ago… Some people find it weird that I look forward to the weekend when I don’t work. After all as a stay a home mum EVERY day is like a weekend AMIRIGHT?!? Yeah, no. Not even close. I love the weekend because it means I can get to slack off a bit on the parenting and I can have grown up conversation any time I want. It’s brilliant! I am particularly looking forward to this weekend as I’m popping off to Manchester for a blogging conference where I will not only be learning how to take over the world but will also be meeting up with loads of blogging friends and attending a Christmas party too! What’s not to love?! Anyway, that’s tomorrow and this is now. I have chosen this weeks wine on label alone. Starve Dog Lane Merlot Not the most attractive of names I know but the label it so pretty. An electric blue wall with a dogs head painted on to it and the name and tagline in a stencil effect. I’m not selling it am I? Just look at the picture, it’s eye catching. It’s blue. I chose it. The label did it’s job very well. The Blurb “If you’re hungry for something different, feed your curiosity and follow your nose to Starve Dog Lane and hit your tastebuds with a wine that breaks the rules – in a good way” “Our top dog winemaker is like a dog with new tricks and likes to shake things up. These cheeky rascals have been crafted with top notch grapes but unconventional methods to make you sit up and beg for more” “This wine barks with rich red jammy fruit flavours, soft tanins and a strokably smooth finish”. That’s a LOT of information on the back of a wine bottle. Maybe a little too much for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I like a little story but this is all a bit ‘craft beer’ for my liking. It’s trying to hard. It’s made me pull my unimpressed face. All of those words and it only really offers jammy and smooth. When was the last time YOU were impressed by jammy and smooth? Unless of course it was strawberry jam without bits? IS THIS HIPSTER WINE? I digress. Let’s drink! The smell is lovely and light with a hint of liquorice. Like autumn in a glass – perfect for this FREEZING September evening. The first mouthful offers a burst of fruit, it’s a more full bodied Merlot than usual with a soft, almost vanilla finish. It’s a proper easy drinker. The kind of wine you want to drink in front of a cosy fire, in a log cabin in the snow. I had gotten myself that irate by the label and all the writing, I was ready to write this off as pretentious guff but it is actually really bloody lovely. I would definitely stock up when it’s on offer, though given how good it is the full price of £7.50 isn’t a bad price. This is the wine that winter is made for. Name – Starve Dog Lane Merlot Price – £5.99 (usually £7.50) Colour – Deep purple (not the band). Smell – light fruit and liquorice. Taste – Fruity with a touch of vanilla. Goes well with – Cosy fires and Grandma blankets. Overall score – a solid 4.5/5 Love it!

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Weekly Winedown #42 Head Honcho Merlot

Anna — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 18:22:15 +0000

Well, it’s been a while but the winedown is back! For now at least. Can you believe it has been 62 whole days since my last weekly winedown? SIXTY TWO DAYS. God didn’t even flood Noah for that long. That’s one epic break. The worst thing about it is, not only have you missed out on my wine-y goodness, but in that whole time I have nothing to tell you. Or rather I have a lot but not enough time! We’ve been to a wedding in the Czech Republic – Czech beer is amazing. We drove from Czech to the South of France via Austria, Italy and Germany. It took days but was beautiful. I have turned 40 which is actually exactly the same as 39 except I fell over and thought I’d broken my ankle. We had our amazing wedding reception a whole five months after the big day. It’s been a fun packed 62 days yet nothing really to tell you about. ANYWAY. Let’s crack on. This week wine is a Chilean Merlot, usually a firm favourite. Head Honcho Merlot was chosen for me by my mum and in familial fashion, she chose it for it’s label which is the exact same reason I’d have chosen it! Head Honcho Merlot Label Look at it. Just look at it. It’s bloody beautiful – very Alice in Wonderland. There’s a cat in a top hat and smoking jacket, he has human hands and is writing with a quill. There’s a flamingo with a vulture on his back. An ostrich just taking a look at what’s going on and a heron looking at a kingfisher while a snake sits watching. What is not to love? Head Honcho Merlot blurb “Screaming with plums and black cherries. Drink it with a pulled pork roll” Ahhhh pulled pork roll, that Chilean classic. It’s quite a bossy label but you know what? I like it. It’s a jammy nose with a slight hint of clove. I don’t mean jammy like the bad ‘wine term’ jammy. I mean it smells like jam. The taste is round and full, rather pleasant. Certainly a hit of cherries and tart plums with a softly spice finished. This may not be the most highbrow wine but it is an easy drinker. Name – Head Honcho Merlot Price – £6.50 Colour – Deep red Smell – Jam and cloves Taste – Cherries and plums with a hint of spice Goes well with – A catch up with friends and idle chit chat. Overall score – 3.5/5 – an easy drinker.

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Weekly Winedown #41 Colpasso Primitivo

Anna — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 18:17:44 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy. Forgive me for I have sinned, It’s been three whole weeks since my last winedown. THAT’S how bad the English wine was! Even thinking about it now makes me shudder. For reasons unknown, I’ve barely consumed any wine over the last few weeks. My allegiance seems to have changed to gin, saying that I DID share a rather nice bottle of Zinfandel with a friend last Friday and it looks like my wine passion has been reignited! That and the fact I stacked it on the school run today which means it’s a need wine kind of a day. After weeks of lousy weather, we have a heat wave coming (allegedly), this teamed with the fact we are going away in a month makes me VERY happy and so sent me to Italy for my wine choice today. Let us say Ciao Bella to Colpasso Primitivo, an Italian red from the Puglia. Sounds exciting right? Let’s see! The Label I like the label, it’s cheery. It’s like the floor tiles you get in a Mediterranean villa or tavern type place. You know the lovely, rustic little local places owned by very old, very Italian people. Like I’ve seen on the TV. It’s a very attractive label, it’s creating a summer vibe and I’m sucking it up! The Blurb Primitivo has been grown in the region of Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot, for hundreds of years. Colpasso Primitivo is the perfect combination of local tradition and modern wine-making, being robust at the same time as smooth and silky. Rich in fruit with a certain “savoury” feel, Colpasso Primitivo has an abundance of ripe, dark berry flavours and is the perfect accompaniment to rich, meaty pasta dishes. Well, that sounds busy doesn’t it? Old and new, strong and smooth, fruit and savoury…it’s certainly hedging it’s bets. Let’s see if it is the glass of sunshine I’m hoping for! Hmm, so, when I pour it looks thin. A trait of an insipid wine. With an aroma of warm rubber and sweet fruit, it’s not the most appetising smell, especially as this has to go in my mouth. The taste is certainly smooth, I was expecting something a little more full bodied with a hint of spice maybe. It was more dark fruits and a little bitter. Using the benchmark set by the English wine THIS IS AMAZING. Using other wines as a benchmark, maybe not quite so. It’s inoffensive, not worth shouting about. If you want to spend £7.99 on wine, I’d suggest going to Aldi and buying their premium/prestige Zinfandel. I have popped the rest of this bottle in the fridge as I think chilled, it will lose some of that bitter edge and become a decent vin. Name – The Colpasso Primitivo Price – £7.49 Colour – A light red Smell – warm and rubbery Taste – Dark berries but bitter Goes well with – Hopefully a big fat curry Overall score – 3/5 – painfully average.

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Weekly Winedown #40 The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest.

Anna — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 18:50:18 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy. Well, here we are – the 40th Winedown. No one is more surprised than me that it’s lasted this long! . I mentioned last week that this week is English Wine Week, and so I decided to embrace English wine this week, maybe a bit risky for the big four-oh but the deed is done. I have been looking for English wine all week but it’s thin on the ground here. I did manage to find a British wine (made with imported grape juice) in Asda for £3.98. There’s no polite way of saying this, it was RANK. The most vile thing I’ve ever tasted and I’ve tasted a lot of things. As a result of this I am so terribly worried about tonight’s wine and, I must confess, Rory is buying me emergency wine to actually drink in case this one is as bad. Yes, I’m aware I’m not going into this in the most positive of manners but I have actual fear. This week we are saying Greetings! to The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest – £8.99 a bottle. I know this is over budget but as I said, bloody difficult to get hold of. An award winning wine made from Rondo grapes on the Bolney wine estate in Sussex. The Label & The blurb Yes, together! Plain, simple and nice to look at. A smooth white label with black font announcing the brand and the wine. It also advises “Blackcurrant and dark berry fruit flavours with herbaceous character.” No airs and graces, just a label telling you the very basic information you require. How terribly British! I don’t know what to expect. I’m nervous. Well. There you go. The nose wasn’t terrible, a little spicy and warm. Maybe a touch sweet. Nothing too offensive. The taste, well, bitter doesn’t even come close. It’s blackcurrant heavy, anything else going on in there is completely hidden by the tartness. When giving my friends a quick debrief, the only thing I could liken it too was pretty graphic and most unpleasant so I’m going to leave it at VERY acidic. I dont know if this is a bad bottle or this is what it’s meant to be like but I’m afraid I’m not a fan. I did genuinely hope this would be a great wine (especially considering the price) and I could champion English wine, but not in this instance. You KNOW I can drink pretty much anything but I have finally met my match! Name – The Bolney Estate Dark Harvest Price – £8.99 Colour – Impressive red Smell – warm and spicy Taste – Jammy and acidic Goes well with – I couldn’t possibly say Overall score – 1/5

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Weekly Winedown #38 Terreo Malbec

Anna — Fri, 18 May 2018 18:10:21 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy This weekend will see Miss Markle make an honest man of Harry. I hate that term, ‘honest man’ it implies that up until some point tomorrow he was just off galavanting with other women and generally being a bit of a cad, it’s a bit demeaning to be honest. Some of the terms and traditions to do with weddings really are archaic aren’t they yet we (not actually me) bandy them about without thinking. Like when people refer to their hen/stag do as the ‘last night of freedom’. If people really think that they won’t be able to get pissed with their friends ever again, they should probably question why they’re marrying a joy vacuum in the first place. Anyway, I digress, Harry & Meghan are getting wed and I can’t wait. Judge all you will, I don’t give a hoot! I don’t consider myself to be a royalist but I love the pomp and ceremony, it’s also nice to see that being a royal doesn’t stop people whinging about who you do or don’t invite to your wedding as if it’s anyone elses business! The biggest appeal to me though is watching something happy for a change and seeing two people in love marrying one another. I’m such a softie. Let us get ready for wedding celebrations with an expensive (but on special offer) French Malbec. Deja vu? I know it’s a risky move after last weeks Winsom Cousins but I need to right the wrong. The Label Simple and elegant. A square white label with the brand name in purple and the rest in black. Kind of like the front of a menu in a fancy establishment, one that is so fancy it probably doesn’t even take a taste card. The cap is also white, like a magicians gloves. I’m not sure what I make of that though, it makes me uncomfortable. The Blurb “Terreo Malbec is an unique red wine from South West of France. Very deep red colour with shades of purple. Notes of black fruit and vanilla. Great unctuousness in the mouth” It’s one of those fancy labels where they do the blurb in French then put a direct translation underneath, this always strikes me as a little pretentious but in the past, the wines that do this have been good. I particularly like the term ‘unctuosness’ we should use it more in daily life. It’s even nicer in French ‘Grand onctuosite en bouche’. So basically, we’re expecting a rich, intense wine with a hint of vanilla, let’s see! There was so little on the nose, like nothing to declare. A very light scent and everso slightly floral but not a lot more. The taste, intially big – almost unctuous (but not quite) bold red berries in the mouth then nothing. There’s not long taste, it’s just gone. I certainly didn’t get any sense of vanilla at all. It’s certainly not an £11.99 bottle of wine in my opinion, but what do I know? More than Aoife at the very least 😉 Name – Terreo Malbec Price – £5.99 (should be £11.99) Colour – reddy purple Smell – Light, a bit vague Taste – Tart berries, starts big then nothing. Goes well with – A Royal wedding eve Overall score – 3.5/5

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Weekly Winedown #37 Winsome Cousins Malbec

Anna — Fri, 11 May 2018 18:15:17 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy I’ve really been slacking off haven’t I? I’ve been inconsistent, distant, I’ve let you down. I can only apologise for not giving you the attention and the wine information you need. The blame lies entirely with me, my poor time management and my real life family wanting me to ‘parent’ ALL THE TIME. I normally do the Winedown on an evening, for that is when is socially acceptable to drink wine. However, tonight we are out. Not out out – just out at a school social thing (there will be wine – PHEW). As a result I had to do my review at 1pm. I’m not going to lie, it was only a very small glass but I’m feeling ready for bed already! This week we have a French Malbec so say Bonjour to Winsome Cousins Malbec, currently on offer at £6.74 from Ocado. The Label As soon as you see the label it will become VERY clear why I chose this wine. It’s a simple label, white with a clear font declaring the name. Oh, and there’s a moose wearing glasses and a striped jumper. Yes, the label has a hipster moose on the front! I defy you to come up with something that shouts ‘FRENCH’ more than a moose in specs!? The Blurb Expressive bouquet of red fruits. Harmonious and nicely structured. Serve with strong flavoured cheeses and grilled meats. In the past, we’ve been noted that a minimal blurb does not equate to a minimal wine. Remember Sangre de Toro? I’m really hoping the same applies with this Malbec. There’s a lot of expectation on my part, all stemming from that label… The smell is quite ‘ripe’ – like fresh redcurrant or blackcurrant. The kind of smell that makes your tastebuds start tingling before you’ve even taken a sip. The taste… You know when something feels like it’s sucked every piece of moisture from the inside of your face? That. The first taste was like tart plums, almost bitter. The tannins are strong with this one leaving a really dry taste. After a couple of sips my mouth became accustomed to the experience and the wine became surpringly palatable. The wine felt like it could have waited just a little longer before being bottled. It’s not, in my opinion, an £8.99 bottle of wine. It’s average. You’d not be disappointed if you were served it in a pub but might be a bit put out if served it in a restaurant. Saying that, I reckon if consumed with a strong, French cheese (as suggested) it would actually become a very different wine. I am absolutely going to try the rest of the family – the Pinot Noir has a pipe smoking, gilet wearing giraffe and the merlot a tweed clad panda. What’s not to like? Name – Winsome Cousins Malbec Price – £6.74 (should be £8.99) Colour – Dark red with a pinky edge. Smell – Ripe blackcurrants Taste – Strong tannins and tart plums. Goes well with – A chunk of Roquefort maybe. Overall score – 3/5.

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Weekly Winedown #36 – Vista Alegre Reserva Rioja

Anna — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 18:24:44 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy Well, this week has been exciting! There has been alarm and consernation here in Leeds. There’s been this great yellow ball of fire in the sky for days. No one is entirely sure what it wants, whether it’s heading toward us or if it means us harm! Everyone is going about their business with one eye on the sky…. Seriously though, hasn’t it been lovely? Some might say a little TOO warm, not I though, I try to only whinge about the cold not the warm. Clearly the sun has gone to my head as this week I have chosen a Rioja – I don’t like rioja. I’ll be honest, I chose it because I liked the label and it was half price at £7.50. Yes, this wine SHOULD have cost £15! Who actually pays that much for wine? People richer than I obviously. Anyway, let’s crack on and say Hola to Vista Alegre Reserva Rioja! The Label I like it, I like it a lot. Entirely simple in black, white and red. The name is emblazoned across the middle with a finger pointing to it, just in case you missed it… It does exactly what it’s designed to do, make you want to buy it. The Blurb “Vista Alegre is the name of one of the most iconic estates in Haro, the wine capital of Rioja. It’s name comes from the beauty of the place – a landscape dominated by old vineyards on the banks of the river Tirón with the Sierra Cantabria as a backdrop. This multicoloured way was said to “cheer up strollers,” hence it’s name, which literally means “Cheerful View”. This wine is made with Tempranillo and Graciano grapes and aged for 18 months in American and French oak barrels. It stands out for its elegance and finesse and its intense aromas of dark fruit and spices.” Well, there you go. Lots of information about where it’s from and how it was made and very little about what to expect. Is it trying to hide something – being all broody and secretive? Maybe it doesn’t want to give us expectations. At £15 a bottle I have expectations, it doesn’t matter what the label says! Well blow me down and call me Geoff. I was fully expecting (hoping?) this would be awful. I’m bitter like that. The nose was pleasant – woody, soft spice and dark berries. The taste was smooth, a big round taste. Almost cherry in flavour with soft tannins and a definite hint of oak. I don’t think I’d pay £15 for it, only because I can’t imagine paying £15 for any wine just to drink at home. This is on offer at Ocado, I’d stock up while it’s half price! Name – Vista Alegre Reserva Rioja Price – £7.50 Colour – Dark red – like my black hair (according to Aoife) Smell – soft spice Taste – round, fruity and oaky. Goes well with – A warm Spring evening. Overall score – 4/5

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Weekly Winedown #35 – Kooliburra Shiraz Cabernet

Anna — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 18:33:55 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy I know I’ve mentioned a few times but I’ve been so slack. My first excuse was Christmas, then post Christmas, then planning a Secret Wedding (did I tell you I got married?). Then came the honeymoon period, which I still seem to be in. So that’s a quarter of the year done and dusted. How time flies! I fully intend to get motivated and get back on it…On Monday. In the meantime, this weeks Winedown has been guest written by a guest. Let’s all say hello to David who enjoyed Kooliburra Shiraz Cabernet from South Africa (and Aldi). The Label From the outside, the bottle looks clean and elegant. No fancy pictures or over dramatic font on the label. The black label does however have the Kooliburra trade mark lizard in purple, hence my son’s name of “Purple Lizard” for this wine. The Blurb “This deeply coloured wine mixes flavours of ripe dark berry fruits with subtle spice and mint. Full bodied and richly textured, it displays an intensity of red berry, blackcurrant and plum flavours, leading to notes of black olives, cloves and spice. The finish lingers with soft ripe tannins making it a perfect match to full flavoured meat dishes”. The tasting notes on the reverse promise “dark berry fruits with subtle spice and mint”, and comment on a finish lingering with “soft ripe tannins”. I’m not expecting anything particularly subtle, or hugely outstanding, bearing in mind the price range of this wine. It has a big nose, loads of spice and oak. Definitely no trace of subtlety there. Its setting its stall out and saying, “Here I am, big, bold and brassy, take me as you find me.” There is a lot of luscious ripe fruit flavours on first sipping, note, this isnt a wine for quaffing…its too big for that, but they don’t linger long, quickly giving way to a heavy oak which does linger, leaving tannins on your tongue. Theres almost a saltiness to the spiciness too. This is feeling like a wine to eat with, whether its a few cheese and biscuits type nibble, or a full blown roast dinner. Defintiely not a wine to just savour on its own, the big flavours need something to balance them. I’ve been pairing it with some cold roast gammon and a vintage cheddar, and it definitely suits the gammon, the saltiness of the meat softening the in your face flavours. The cheese was pleasant, but tended to bring out too much of the underlying acidity of the fruitiness. In conclusion, its a very pleasant wine, that with the right nibbles is proving very easy to drink. It would suit a relaxing movie evening, or a the type of dinner where you dont have to show off, and the conversation is more important than the food and drink. For £3.99 this is a steal, get some. Name – Kooliburra Shiraz Cabernet Price – £3.99 Colour – Red. Smell – Big – spicey and oaky. Taste – Full, fruity with a spiced finish. Goes well with – Gammon. Overall score – 4/5 Well, this is awkward. He’s better at this than me! I was hoping to get a bottle of this for myself to see what I thought but there was none in stock. Darn you Aldi!

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