Box Wines has just announced the theme for the next Wine Blogging Wednesday. Unsurprisingly (given the blog name:-) ) the theme is Box Wines & Non-Traditional Packaging. I guess we’ll be looking for something suitable to drink before Wednesday the 14th March.
It’s on at Winecast and the theme is close to home—New World Syrah/Shiraz. Right up our alley:-) So, February 7th we’ll be joining in!
(Writing this post assures me that I need far more practice at writing reviews - and that I need to keep notes as I taste! It’s very brief, but if I don’t post it now, it won’t be up in time to be included.)
When we visited the Barossa some (5?) years ago, our favourite winery was definitely St Hallet’s. We loved every wine we tried.
We love Sparkling Shiraz.
They had a Sparkling Shiraz. We were unable to try it because it sells out so promptly upon release.
Two and a half years ago, when our son was born, we were given a bottle of St Hallett’s The Black NV by a very thoughtful (and knowledgeable) friend.
This month, Wine Blogging Wednesday (which I have intended to do for years) was sparklings…
We really shouldn’t keep wine for too long, our cellaring conditions are far from ideal!
The time had arrived!
We had planned a roast beef dinner. Nothing fancy, just meat (with some garlic and black pepper), carrots, potato, onion and parsnip, roasted in a tray. We also served green beans.
We ended up serving it with guests, a friend who was having a birthday, another who is an old friend nearby, and another friend of hers we have been hearing about for fourteen years but have only just met.
So, the wine. For once, we managed to think about it early enough to ensure it was chilled.
It’s colour is beautiful (sadly, we forgot to take a photo), a rich red. A very fine mousse that didn’t come close to overflowing the glass, just a light layer on the top of the wine.
On first taste, you are left in little doubt that this is a shiraz, the pepper is very up front while not being overpowering. It has lovely soft bubbles. Sadly, I suspect that it would have been better drunk sooner. It’s good, but it’s not as stand out as I was expecting. I would definitely drink it again though, although I would try to drink it sooner.
Tasting notes from St Hallet’s. (We didn’t actually read these until I was posting this. We may well have served it differently:-) )
Vintage
NV
Grape Variety
Shiraz
Colour
Deep intensity, dark ruby purple with plum red tints.
Bouquet
Layers of dark chocolate, sweet nutmeg spice lifted by soft pepper, liquorice, coffee, and dark chocolate, smoky toast aromas, and developed aromas of leather and cigar box.
Palate
Complex mix of spice, coffee and rich chocolates, mixed with smoky flavours from the oak. Fine grained tannins add a smooth velvety texture and weight to the palate. The wine finishes with a lingering flavour of sweet white chocolate, complemented by vanilla and mocha.
Serving suggestion
Serve chilled on it’s own or as the grand finale to a special dinner, served with chocolate pudding.
Cellering
Drink now or cellar for further complexity.
I have been reading Wine Blogging Wednesday posts on and off since about the third one. I have kept meaning to join in, but various things have occured so that I haven’t (usually I forget to drink the appropriate wine in a timely fashion).
But not this time!
I am determined!
The carnival is being hosted by Culinary Fool and the theme is Sparklings. We have some (always a good start), even a couple that we have been intending to drink soon. So I am going to make sure to plan a meal the weekend before the 13th that will encourage the use of one of them. Then I’ll (hopefully) manage the followup part of blogging about it… But I figure drinking the wine is always a good start:-)
I keep meaning to join in Wine Blogging Wednesday… I think it sounds fabulous, and _just_ the sort of thing that would suit us. But of course I never quite get there. Here is the roundup of the most recent effort. Keep watching here for a pointer to the next. (I’ve just realised that the next has been announced already.) Maybe next time…
by A. A. Milne
by Andrew Lang
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