Rosemount Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I frequently find myself having one of those nights where I don’t want to analyze wine, I don’t want to have to think about it, decipher what I’m picking up or how it makes me feel, I just want to drink wine. One recent evening this very feeling hit me, I just want to drink the juice! So I reached for a bottle of Rosemount 60% Shiraz 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. No frills, no thrills, no thinking involved. But then I figured what the heck, I paid for the bottle, I may as well write about it.

Aromas of raspberry, black berry and a hint of oak. Rich ripe red berries, plums, light bodied and a decent finish but not fabulous round out the wine. The website claims the wine has delicious fruitcake notes, not sure I want my wine described with flavors of fruitcake.

They must like fruitcake in Australia and not realize how many people in the US would rather use it as a doorstop (I’ve had a few in my time that could serve this very purpose) than actually eat it let alone drink something with this descriptor. Now before you go throwing fruitcakes at me, it just isn’t something my palate appreciates. If this is something you enjoy then so be it.

Rosemount has been making wine for over 40 years and located in the Hunter Valley region of Australia. Moving from the coffee industry to the wine industry founder Bob Oatley wanted all employees to feel they were part of something special and to strive for the best. Now a leading Australian winery, their wines represent the Australian climate as well as their dedication to quality and style.

Up until 2001 Rosemount was Australia's largest family owned winery, it then merged with Southcorp Wines and in 2005 merged with Foster’s Group. I think most of you know I value family owned and run wineries. I feel there is more love and care put into the wines, since this truly is their livelihood. Does this mean the wines that fall under big conglomerates don’t give a hoot. Of course not, there are still dedicated winemakers and people who work with the vines from the time they’re planted until the time they’re juiced, bottled and sent to you and me to enjoy.

I’ve had other Rosemount wines and they weren’t so bad, this it may have just been this blend so I’ll continue to reach for them when I just want to drink an affordable wine that I don’t have to think about.

My rating – We’ll drink the rest tomorrow.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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2009 worst of the worst inexpensive wines

For the past few months I’ve been tasting wines that are priced at less than $9.99 in hopes of finding some great inexpensive but wonderful tasting wines. I have found several that have now become some of my favorite go to wines but I also tasted some that were so vial I couldn’t even come up with enough material to write about. Here are some of the 2009 worst of the worst tastings I encountered.

Oak Leaf Merlot – When I found this wine at Wal-Mart (a store I avoid like the plaque) I couldn’t believe it, wine for just $2.99…yippee. I should have known better, not all $2.99 wines are created equal. It was like drinking grape Tang with a touch of turpentine. I swear this could double as a cleaning solvent, perhaps used in the removal of rust or paint but use caution, too much and I truly think it could eat right through metal.

Lizard Flat Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2002 – Chandra, this one was for you. It’s a 1 liter boxed wine priced at just $1.99 at a reputable wine store. The owner of the store said her husband tried it and thought it was fine. I thought it tasted like Listerine and leather making it taste like old boots. After the 3rd sip, my palate was numb. I noticed the wine had a long and lingering finish but I just wanted it to go away, much like a house guest that has stayed four weeks longer than planned. Even worse, I picked up two of these 1 liter boxes…..

Two Oceans Shiraz – This one showed promise, it was a South African Shiraz. It wasn’t undrinkable unlike the first two and had a really great smoky flavor. The problem with this wine was it was like drinking a grape Jolly Rancher with Chipolte flavoring. Loved the Chipolte, didn’t love the Jolly Rancher.

Milton Park Shiraz – This South Australian Shiraz tasted like someone poured Pixie Sticks in the bottle. Overly bold frontend and too thin of a finish and a high taste of alcohol.

Here’s to hoping I find more great tasting wines in 2010.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Twists and turns in the road of life

Tonight’s wine selection, Turner Road Shiraz 2003, reminds me of all the twists and turns my life has taken this year. I got married in May at a doughnut shop (it was great!), hours at work reduced to part time and I took up writing about wine. As I make my way down this new path, I take time to reflect on not only my past experiences but what new ones lie ahead. In the next few weeks, be sure to check out the new Wine Chicks Guide website (assuming I can figure out how to set it up) and all the new info that will be part of the site.

I promise I’m not scouting these wines out but Turner Road was once a division of Sebastiani Vineyards prior to being sold to Constellation Brands. This is just getting scary, what winery hasn’t a member of the Sebastiani family run? Constellation acquired the brand in 2001. Unfortunately Constellation does not provide any info on how the wine was produced or where the vineyards are located.

The aromas consist of oak and blackberries. The flavors are uncharacteristically dry for a Shiraz. Generally I find Shiraz to be a little sweet and sometimes taste like grape jam. This Shiraz was closer to an Italian wine and was quite pleasing to drink.

I was surprised to see a Lodi, California wine with the Shiraz label as the US along with many other countries typically use the name Syrah for this grape varietal. Shiraz is generally used by Australians even though they are the same grape. I can tell you Wine Specator gave the 2003 vintage 79 points.

This is one wine I’ll definitely add to my regular rotation of great tasting inexpensive wines.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Stonehaven and my field trip to SoHo

It was the end to a great week, having worked only half a day on Friday, lunch in SoHo, an hour walking around Hyde Park (even if most shops have packed up and left) then finding an unknown value wine, 2006 Stonehaven Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, at the Publix Greenwise Market.

Stonehaven Vineyard is located in Australia's Limestone Coast. The winery uses computer technology providing the winemaker with total control over the winemaking process. I’m not sure how I feel about using computers to make wine, it makes it impersonal. I mean why bother even having a winemaker if all you have to do is key some information into a computer. The website speaks a little to the vineyards and the barrel hall but I couldn’t find any information from the vineyard regarding their wines.

The aroma is soft but fruity. The soft fruit flavors carry over with spice and peppers from the Shiraz. The wine was well balanced and definitely not bad for $7.99.

Here’s to hoping this week is as wonderful as last week!

Chickadee word of the day:
Barrel Hall - After crushing and fermentation wines requiring barrel maturation are pumped to a hall and decanted into oak barrels. The maturation in oak allows the wine to develop structure and further.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

2005 Rosemount Cabernet Merlot

After sipping a Mark West Pinot Noir, what could possibly follow…..luckily the Rosemount Cabernet Merlot I chose was a great follow up. It’s Sunday night and I’m set to return to work tomorrow as a full time temp, feel like getting my drink on….hell yeah!

The wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Merlot. The color in the glass is a deep red with hints of purple. The wine presents complex aromas ranging from plums, berries with a hint of oak. Spicy flavors and the oak aroma carry over to the taste. The tannins are smooth and leave a lingering finish making this a very easy drinking wine.

Rosemount is located in the Hunter Valley region of Australia and has been in the winemaking business since 1969 and is one of Australia’s leading wines. Their wines represent the Australian climate as well as their dedication to quality and style.

We paired this wine with a hearty spaghetti sauce made from short rib and roast meat, tomatoes and a blend of left over cabernets from the previous week.

I found this wine at BJ’s Wholesale for $7.99.

New feature, wine quotes:
“Wines are like people. Some are perfect but boring, some are precocious but fail to live up to their promise, but the way they may develop is endlessly fascinating.” - Michael Broadbent, British Wine Critic

2007 Ass Kisser Shiraz

First week complete after my status change from full time permanent employee to part time temp. Time for a glass of wine and I think this evening calls for a big glass of Ass Kisser Shiraz. Fitting since I think it was a lack of ass kissing that got me into this predicament.

Black currants and an oaky aroma make this a promising wine. Tasty vanilla, chocolate and spice provide an intense lingering finish. The flavors are not complicated but it is full bodied and I’m a happy wine chick now.

Ass Kisser is made by Rocland Estates, a family owned winery in South Australia. The grapes are grown in premium vineyards and picked once they reach optimum maturity. After the grapes are crushed into open fermenters and monitored for 7-10 days they spend 12 months in aged and new French and American barrels.

While I don’t know what the following week will bring at work, I do know I have some more tasty wines to sample and tell you about. I started this evening out with a glass of Little Black Dress Pinot Noir. It was so dry and one dimensional, I couldn’t drink it without making a face. Love the bottle but not the wine…..

I found this wine at the Wine Warehouse at 5571 4th St N, St Petersburg for $8.99

Chickadee word of the day:
Fermenter – A vessel used to ferment grape juice. This can be in the form of barrels, vats of oak, concrete or steel. Wow, didn’t need a dictionary to figure that one out……

Hob Nob Vineyards Shiraz – 2006

Whew, with all of the Wine Chicks schmoozing lately and getting various blogs out to the masses, I think it’s only fitting to open a bottle of Hob Nob Vineyards Shiraz. The Hob Nob Shiraz has a deep purple appearance and shows long legs in the glass. In the aroma I detect a grapy jam, plum and peppery. It smells great, the taste however is somewhat of a let down after the aroma. It has harsh tannins and it tastes a little like lemons. As it slides across my tongue, it doesn’t have any of that great wrap around and feels like a thin sheet.
The only real info I can find on this one is the grapes are from France. I have no idea if this is where it is bottled as I find another address for Hob Nob in New York. The website is horrible with cutesy little descriptions as you “Meet the wines” like this is the dating game or something. I hate that, don’t wineries know some of us actually want to learn about the history of the wine and the vineyards. How is the Wine Chick supposed to inform people if the wineries don’t make this info available! Ok, enough of my ranting, maybe I need another glass of wine…..
This wine wasn’t horrible but it’s not as good as some of the others I have tasted recently. After all, that’s the whole point, to weed out the bad inexpensive wines and find the gems hidden among all those bottles and shelves.
I found this wine at the Wine Warehouse at 5571 4th St North, St. Petersburg for $4.99
Chickadee word of the day:
Peppery – A trait found in wines with spicy, black-pepper characteristics, sometimes accompanied by high alcohol.