Fast Facts:
- 2021 Torbreck “Woodcutter’s” Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia ($19.99 @ Costco, California – Item # 693544)
It’s pretty well-documented that when it comes to critically assessing all things taste and smell, that women tend to have an advantage over us men. Here is a scenario that sometimes plays out in my home when considering candidates for our Wine of the Week:
Me (handing her a glass): “Here, taste this and tell me what you think.”
Her: “Tastes fake.”
Yep, my wife has a finely-tuned “wine bullshit detector.” Unfortunately, it is an indispensable tool when tasting wines (especially red wines from California, it must be said) that are under $20. And the more they are under $20, the more likely they are to taste like what we in the trade refer (derisively) to as factory wines, or Frankenwine. Yeah, those are technical terms.
I could write an entire post on the market dynamics that have created these insipid wines, but I will save that for another day. You’re welcome.
BUT, let’s talk about this week’s Wine of the Week, because it is deserving of our WoW! acronym. This wine is the antithesis of “factory” wines. There is no trace of such, uh, “bullshit.” On the contrary, this Shiraz from Australia’s famed Barossa Valley tastes like wine made the old fashioned way, with pure fruit and high end winemaking shining through:
Tasting Notes:
Pours a mouth-staining Deep Purple. (Cue Smoke on the Water!) The nose is a basket full of blackberry, black cherry, freshly tilled soil, tobacco and dried herbs. The palate leads with blueberry compote with an attack of leather, black olives, oak, vanilla and eucalyptus. Medium tannins, medium to heavy body and light acidity. This is, in a word, a BIG wine and would pair well with roasted and grilled meats, chicken and hard cheeses. ABV=15%
About Syrah and Shiraz:
The Syrah grape is responsible for some of the most sought after bottlings in the world. In the Rhone Valley of France, it is the grape behind famous bottlings by E. Guigal and M. Chapoutier. In the new world, it underpins Penfold’s Grange, widely acknowledged as Australia’s greatest and most famous wine. Although, like this version from Torbreck, the latter is bottled as Shiraz. In both cases, these wines can fetch hundreds, if not thousands of dollars per bottle.
Shiraz is genetically identical to Syrah, and Australia can be credited with putting the Shiraz name squarely upon the world wine stage. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced. Shiraz is the most widely planted red wine grape variety “down under” and plays a starring role in some of its most coveted bottlings.
Need More Wine Picks from Trader Joe’s – or Costco?
If your search for this wine lands you in Trader Joe’s, take along our handy Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.
And if your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.
Cheers!
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