This South African Shiraz is of the lighter hued variety with a bouquet that is rather subdued with cranberry and raspberry notes. In the mouth, there is nice first blast of spice with toast flavors. Flavors are shallow all around and the wine is unbalanced and without much character.
It benefits from a half hour of breathing with dried cherry flavors and a touch of tartness. Not impressive but the second day, the wine did taste a bit better. South Africa is making some pretty decent wine but in a global market glutted with oceans of wine at this price point ($8) they have to do better than this. If you don't think of it as Shiraz, and you have already had a couple glass of something else, then, raise a glass; it goes down okay.
South African wine seems to struggle in the US, and I am convinced that this is due - at least in part - to generic bottlings like this one, sold at less than keen prices.
ReplyDeleteThe kind of vaguely African themed, critter labled stuff that seems to dominate the tiny South African section of most US wine stores is terribly unrepresentative.
Good, reasonably priced and widely available Shiraz/Syrah from South Africa that you might want to consider includes:
Porcupine Ridge - fruit from the warm Swartland, assembled by the brilliant Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof. Tar, spice and chocolate, sells in SA for around $6, probably closer to $12 in the US.
Brampton - the second label of Rustenberg in Stellenbosch is gorgeous at the price - around $15 in the US: rhoneish - white pepper, dark fruit, a whiff of cloves. Delicious.
Higher up the price scale there is lots to choose from, with the best (Boekenhoutskloof, De Trafford, et al) closer to France in style than to Australia.
The point is well taken! Unfortunately, we have to review what we taste, what is available, not what "possibly" is out there. Here in Maine, I haven't seen any of the wines you have referenced. I will make it a point to look when I am in Boston and perhaps (NW)(who lives in Boston)can hunt some of these down.
ReplyDeleteSomething wineries can do is utilize the blogosphere, which is not bound by geographical practicalities, to a greater extent in marketing what is "out there."
Some are beginning to do just that by sending examples of their wares to such blogs.
We appreciate the tip! (PB)