2000 Buckeley Cab/Shiraz blend

[hotwine]

Hauled my trailer-mounted smoker to the church early yesterday and cooked all day, turning out 100 lb of beef shoulder clods, 65 lb of pork butts, a few pork loins for good measure, and six big trays of smoked spuds. Others cranked out grilled chicken and fillets of rainbow trout. Lots of sides and dee-serts, and fed somewhere in the neighborhood of 500-600 folks. Lights were out on the trailer, so had to hit the road to be home before dark; barely made it. But not sgtaying to eat meant I could load up a take-out plate and have it with wine at home. Popped this Buckeley, never having encountered it before. Honest Cab nose of black currant and cedar, but all varietal characteristics disappeared on the palate, leaving a non-descript red wine with 13.5% alc/vol. Still, given the mish-mash of meats on the plate, it was probably just as well. I'd buy it again for that kind of application, a mixed bag of barbecue. And especially at the give-away price of $5.99. 55% CS, 45% Shiraz.