To All You Aussies out there!

[pergamum]

Banrock Station 1999, one of Wine Spectator's "Best Buys" for this month is excellent! This Shiraz-Cab combination actually has a moderate degree of complexity for its price $10 or less. Upon first confronted the wine, one cannot ignore the bouquet of rubber mixed with raspberries and "burnt toast?". A smooth raspberry palate with a spicy, herbal finish. Wonderful! I recommend it to all you penny pinching Aussie lovers out there (like myself). [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/tongue.gif[/img]

[Catch 22]

I have spoken highly of this wine here in the past, but I didn't think the '99 was quite as good as years past. Now Wine Spectator is extolling it's virtues. Great, they'll raise the price. Oh, well. If anyone else tries this wine, I suggest a little longer than normal "breathing" time. For some reason, this wine is often better the next day if not finished right away.

[pergamum]

Well, that works for me! I purchased a magnum for $10.00 yesterday. Just curious, what does letting Banrock breath do for the wine? And, what years do you think are its best? I might have mistakenly bought a 98 when I had originally intended to by a 99.

[Catch 22]

Consider yourself lucky if you got the 98. The 99 is ok, but I really liked both the 97 and 98. I haven't had any earlier vintages. I'm not very good at the descriptive aspect of wine, but it just seems a little smoother or mellower with some breathing, losing the slight harsh edge it has upon opening. For $6, it works for me, even the 99.

[Innkeeper]

The Aussies have certainly got the word about American's hunger for liquid toothpicks. The main reason I didn't go ballistic about the Rosemount Chardonnay posted below, that mother made be buy for the napkin rings, was that it reeked with oak.

[pergamum]

Point well taken Innkeeper. I'm a bit of an oak junky, however, only in the right amounts. Furthermore, the affordable cost of the aforementioned wine makes it doubtful that oak was used at all (oak does cost you). However, admittedly, a try to stay clear of the wines that don't read, but should "Oak flavor added"--it puts wine on par with concentrated fruit juice. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/tongue.gif[/img]

[chittychattykathy]

The Lennards Crossing Shiraz is quite nice as well, and for $6.50-$7.00ish works great for those times when you need several bottles of something good to serve a larger group.