Hamelin Bay Shiraz 2008

More spicy food calls for more spicy wine in this Shiraz, except that this wine is oh so smooth. Take white pepper and mix it with chocolate and vanilla and you'll get the picture. Full bodied with that typical spicy aroma you can expect from a Shiraz.

The wine is from the Five Ashes Vineyard at Karridale, Margaret River's southern most wine district. That's Australia for those that didn't know. The crest is the Welsh wyvern, and the motto, Esse Quam Videri, means to be, rather than seem to be. So true in today's wine world, where you can buy something and get something completely different. This wine however, delivers what it promises, classical Shiraz characteristics.

The food for tonight to go with this wine is spicy chicken skewers and butternut.

Treasures Shiraz (2006)

Wine tasting 4

This wine is a new one to Systembolaget, but I haven't seen it since. It is still on their system though. A really fantastic all round wine. Smooth, well structure and if I should venture a guess, then I'd say it should be really good with a grilled meat dish with baked potatoes. It just felt like such a wine from the first taste, because of the strong barrel carachter in the smell and taste. It was loved by everyone at the tasting and for only 89SEK a real bargain.

Panel's rating: 3,83 out of 5




Price: 89SEK
Country: Australia
Grape: Shiraz

Colour: Dark red colour.

Nose: Very fruity aroma with barrel character, elements of blackberries, plums, spices and rubber.

Taste: Very fruity taste with barrel character, elements of blackberry, plum, spices, rubber and vanilla.

The first wine tasting

The first wine tasting has come and gone, and it was fantastic. I learnt so much, and was introduced to so many new wines and new tastes. Just to recap, we were 8 people, which meant 8 wines. Each person gave me a bottle of wine of their choice one week before, which I then "prepared" for the night, after reading up on them a bit.  A blind tasting of 8 bottles of wine. The wines were from Australia, Germany, Argentina, Spain, France, South Africa and Italy. The prices ranged from 58kr to 105kr and we tasted 2 whites and 6 reds.

The night was also one where we had fantastic home baked bread and excellent cheeses to accompany each wine and give the taste buds a break in between each bottle. You can read more about the format here. Here's the "esteemed" panel, deliberating during the night.

Lindemans Chardonnay Bin 65 (2007)

Wine tasting 1

This was a good wine to start with. Most guessed correctly that it was a Chardonnay. When tasted, most agreed it was very full in the mouth and very smooth. Personally I prefer a Chardonnay with a lot more attitude and a longer after taste.

Panel's rating: 3,4 out of 5

Price: 59SEK
Country: Australia
Grape: Chardonnay

Colour: Straw | Gold, clear-yellow | Light golden yellow | Clear golden yellow.

Nose: Pineapple | Citrus with a little raisin | Fruity - pineapple with melon| Smells like butter and citrus | Very fresh and not so strong | Aromatic and fruity but a little sour.

Taste: Smokey | A little alcohol intensive with the taste of citrus | Buttery and spicy | Spice, Sweet and a bit anonymous | A bit acidic but mellow |Fruity yet sharp and a bit volatile.