Oz vs. California reds

[wondersofwine]

Carolina Wine Company had a blind tasting Saturday of three Australian reds and one California red. They haven't published the results yet but my favorite was the Henry's Drive Shiraz (about $25 a bottle) over the more expensive Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet. I had the Silver Oak tied for second or maybe half a point higher than the other Australian wine I liked (one highly extracted shiraz I did not like). I did pick out which wine was the Californian of the four. One lady tasting at the same time liked the Henry's Drive best and the Silver Oak last. She thought it was a cheap California wine (right about origin; wrong about price). In other tastings, the wine shop has had reasonably priced Australian wines outperform Cakebread and other noted California vineyards.