Budget Vino

A surprising wine find in a small UK town- Deakin Estate 2004 Shiraz

If you've read my previous post, you know that right now I am working away on a consulting project in Wootton Bassett, UK.  After work each evening, I return to my hotel, and am pretty much forced into solitary confinement until a co-worker picks me up for work the next morning. Why am I in solitary? Well, there is literally nothing to do in Wootton Bassett, or in the nearest town of Swindon. My only nighttime option is to check email and have a couple drinks.

(I've pasted in a map showing the location of Wootton Bassett and Swindon, as I doubt that any of you have heard of either town.)

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View Larger Map

This brings me to the great surprise of this trip....

The hotel I am staying at (The DeVere Hotel Shaw Ridge) is pretty darn nice- especially given its location. As part of the hotel's customer service program, each day, housekeeping places a complimentary small bottle of red wine on my hotel room desk (unheard of in the US). There the bottle sits all day, waiting for me to return to my room, graciously offering to help numb my boredom.

The complimentary wine is a Deakin Estate 2004 Shiraz from Australia. Now I'm not sure if it's the environment playing tricks on my taste buds, or the fact that it's provided at no cost, but this wine is actually really good. The Deakin is dark and rich. It's fruity, but without offense. Overall, it's a tasty wine that is most certainly comparable to so many other "definite buy" wines I've reviewed in the past.

I did a little research, and it looks like this wine can be purchased for about $5 a bottle in the US. For that price, I'll definitely be seeking it out when I return home. The company just released their Shiraz 2005 vintage. I'm curious how it compares to the 2004. Maybe I'll sneak a bottle home so I can compare...

If you're searching for a wine that pairs well with a bad day or a bad English meal (of which I've had too many to count), this may just be the one you've been looking for.

Recommendation: Definite buy (pending confirmation once out of tiny UK town)

A tale of 2 Sebeka's, part 1- Sebeka Shiraz from South Africa

Not even a week ago, I was introduced to a wine that was so good, I'm contemplating adding it to my list of "Top Choices." The wine was a tasty Shiraz from South Africa, brought to us by the people at Sebeka winery.

This wine was smooth and seemed to get better with every sip. I enjoyed it on its own, and also with some awesome homemade Teriyaki chicken wings (happy to share the recipe). I've tried a lot of mediocre wines lately, and it was great to finally find a new budget bottle that tasted great.

Fellow wine bloggers at Box Wines liked this wine, but not as much me it seems. Read their review here.

When at the store the other day, I picked up a bottle of Sebeka's other offering- a Cabernet Pinotage. I am definitely curious whether it will live up to the quality of the Shiraz...Review of this wine to follow...Keep posted.

Recommendation: Definitely buy it.

Gotham Shiraz- A screwtop wine that actually tastes good

It's been almost a week since I've written a blog entry. Why? I swear I've been in a turkey coma since Thanksgiving last Thursday.

On Saturday, as I started to feel better, I went to BevMo to pick up some wine. This time, I bought a bottle of Gotham Langhorne Creek Shiraz 2004.

This wine has a really cool label and also a screw top. Typically, when you hear that a wine has a screw top, you come to the conclusion that it's probably no good. In the case of Gotham Shiraz, this conclusion holds no truth. It's a really good wine, and it's worth checking out. The thing I liked best about the wine was its finish. It leaves a really nice taste on your tongue, and I imagine it would pair really well with a nice piece of meat.

Recommendation: Definitely buy it

Note that I will not be posting again until Monday, December 4th. I promise it will be worth the wait!

If you find the time, give Yellowtail Shiraz Reserve a try!

Nothing kicks off a weekend like a nice wine. So, as you look far and wide this weekend for a wine to wet your whistle, you should definitely give the Yellowtail Shiraz Reserve a try.

Many of you have probably tried the non-reserve blend, and while the regular Yellowtail Shiraz is quite tasty, the Shiraz Reserve takes it to a whole new level. Unlike it's cousin, the Shiraz Reserve has no extreme fruitiness or spiciness. Instead, both of these elements seem pretty well balanced. However, as I seem to be noticing with all Shiraz's, there is an initial kick, so definitely be patient. With this wine, you might find that that the 1st glass will get you curious, and the 2nd class will get you addicted!!

Recommendation: Definitely buy it

Welcome to Banrock Station

When I'm feeling a little lazy, i'll trudge on up to the local convenience store and grab a cheap wine off the shelf. I always shudder a bit at the prices, as I know that if I could get just get the motivation to drive to the supermarket or Bev Mo, I could pay 1/3 the price for the same bottle. But alas, I am often lazy, and the other night was no exception.

So I went to the convenience store, and saw that they had a "special" on Banrock Station wine. Banrock Station comes from Austrailia- home of the Shiraz. As with most Shiraz's, this one also has that initial punch. However, its not as bad as others i've tried (see posting on Fish Eye Shiraz.) I drank a glass and a half, and then could drink no more. It started off heavy, and seemed to stay that way. Yet, as I corked the bottle for the night, I found myself satisfied. I wasn't overjoyed, but considering the "special" price of $5.99, I was content.

Then it went all wrong...

A day passed and my thirst for another glass of wine returned. I got home from work and poured myself a tall glass of Banrock Station. It was TERRIBLE!! The wine tasted awful. It had turned in a flash. I know it wasn't the cork, as I had used a special cork that prevents air from entering the bottle- not the original cork that came with the bottle. In a moment of great sadness, I was forced to pour the bottle down the drain.

So what did I learn from this experience?
Banrock Station Shiraz turns quickly- drink it fast or you're out of luck.

Final Recommendations: One glass only (day 1 only)

Fish Eye Shiraz- $6.99 and not sure its worth your time...

Last night I dedicated to two things- unpacking my luggage from my recent trip, and vegging out in front of my TV. I achieved both goals with flying colors. Of course, I had a bottle of wine at my side the entire time.

Instead of driving somewhere to select my bottle, I decided to go to the local store. They definitely overprice their wine, but its damn convenient (hence why its called a convenience store.) Last nights selection was a bit of a departure for myself. I went with a Shiraz. I'm usually a Cab/Pinot guy, but I thought i should try something new. The bottle I selected was a 2003 Fish Eye Shiraz.

So here's my thoughts as they happened...

Sip 1- I thought someone had punched me in the face. It was this intense and harsh fruity beating. I took a step back and geve myself a moment to recover. It took a few minutes

Sip 2- My pallete adjusted pretty quickly, and the second sip actually tasted okay

Skip to Sip 15...

Sip 15- I took my time getting to this sip. I usually drink pretty fast, but given my unpacking activities, I was moving quite slowly. By this time I was actually enjoying the wine. I'm sure the oxygen had opened it up quite a bit, and my pallete was on board.

By the time I finished my evening, I had almost forgot how tough it was to get going. Do I recommend this wine? Maybe..but only if you don't mind an initial kick to the mouth, and you are patient enough to let it sit for a bit. For a cheap wine, I don't think these things should be required.

Final Recommendation: Keep it corked if you're impatient, One glass only if you have time on your hands.