Jacob's Creek Rose: Week #36

Welcome to the special Easter Sunday edition of Saturday Shiraz.  I bought a bottle yesterday - even entrusted the Helpful Husband to venture out solo to the liquor store.  Thankfully I am at a point in this journey where I pretty well know the names of all the "un-blogged" bottles of Shiraz remaining at our local liquor store, so I can send him out with a particular brand and be somewhat assured that he will return with it. 

But, alas, once I arrived at my parents' house for Easter dinner, I noticed I had "conveniently" forgot the bottle of Shiraz at home.  Luckily, my dad had this strange and awkward bottle of Shiraz Rose laying around and we decided it was probably a good match for the turkey (and the label notes agreed!). 

Jacob's Creek Shiraz Rose - Australia 2007
13% alc./vol.
(Free to me)

A word from the wine
"This Shiraz Rose style is lighter in weight and boasts lots of fresh berry aromas and spicy flavors. At our place we enjoy it chilled with pasta, seafood and poultry, and while relaxing with friends."
Hmmm... chilled, eh?  I don't think I like where this is headed.

I thought this wine was an okay pairing for our turkey dinner.  But, it was still too close to white wine for me.  I found it to be quite fizzy, bordering on carbonated, almost like drinking a spritzer.  However, it wasn't sweet, which made less tolerable when viewed as a carbonated beverage, but more tolerable when seen as a wine. 

Helpful Husband: "Does it have alcohol?  I like it"
Dad: "It goes well with the turkey, but I don't think it is a real Rose"
Brother: "It's okay, but a bit acidic for my tastes"
Mom: "It's not as sweet as you would expect from a Rose"

WB Eaglehawk: Week #35

So, whoops.  I forgot to post this.  I kept meaning to go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of the wine I sampled at the restaurant, but my big boy was sick all week and I never got the chance.  Sorry readers (aka my mom).  I will post this, and then tomorrow I will do a special "Easter Sunday Shiraz" edition of Saturday Shiraz.

Helpful Husband and I hit the town last Saturday night.  We had gift certificates to a local hotel and restaurant, and a Grandmother willing to babysit overnight.  Smell ya later kids! 

First stop was Billy's Seafood, where we enjoyed some bacon wrapped scallops and over-priced entrees. But, we also enjoyed some wine.  Of course, we paid $21 for a 1/2 litre (check out the bottle's price below), but when in Rome and all that crap.

Wolf Blass Eaglehawk (Australia)
$13.49

This picture was taken at the restaurant- very discretely due to extreme embarrassment.  Helpful Husband is in the background flexing for the picture.  But, the joke is on him because the wine glass makes his puny bicep even tinier.

This picture was taken, very discretely, again due to embarrassment, while my mother and I were creeping the liquor store before the town-wide Easter egg hunt.  (It was freakin' cold and we needed shelter and warmth.... plus there were free samples.)  I would have bought the bottle, but I didn't have my wallet with me. 

A word from the wine:
All I remember reading from the label (while I was in the liquor store) was that the name Eaglehawk was derived from one of WB's first vineyards, which he named "Bilyara" - the aboriginal word for "Eaglehawk." 
I really hope winemakers realize how unoriginal this whole "aboriginal word as inspiration" is. 

This wine was delicious.  I enjoyed each and every overly expensive sip.  I think it lives up to the Wolf Blass name and is very comparable to the slightly more expensive Yellow Label - smooth, easy drinking and tasty. 

We also ventured to Happinez wine bar, but alas, the only Shiraz they had that evening (per glass) was Angove, that weird wine that looks red but tastes white.  There was a $99 bottle of Shiraz in the cellar though.  YIKES-O-RAMA!!  Maybe for week #52... but what happens if you spend that much on a bottle and it is disappointing?  In either case, I enjoyed a glass of La Casona for $6 - it wasn't Shiraz, but it was yummy. 



French Cross: Week #34

I have to admit - I didn't feel much like drinking red wine today.  I guess I'm still traumatized from last week's experience with Banrock Station.  Plus, I feel bad for any wine chosen to be the rebound in this sick relationship.  I mean, what chance does this week's selection really have?  It will only serve its purpose of getting me back on the wagon, and then it will no doubt be cast aside, never to be chosen again.  For this reason, I plan on bringing this wine to Family Dinner to have some non-bias input added to the review - it is only fair to the wine (I'll update with their comments later).

This week I have chosen French Cross.  I didn't want to pick something expensive, since I know I'm not really up to enjoying it.  This is the last Canadian bottle of Shiraz (that I haven't reviewed - I didn't clean them out!...yet) at my local liquor store.  It was on sale (a whole $0.50!!!) and I had wanted to buy it while in PEI since it was available in tetra pack there.

French Cross (Canada - no date)
$9.99
13% alc./vol.

A word from the wine:
"This dry, medium bodied Shiraz is vinted with carefully selected grapes from some of the finest vineyards in Canada and around the world.  Flavors of black cherry and a hint of spice are enhanced by rich red fruit aromas."
Carefully selected?  Or picked out of the other vineyards' dumpsters? 

No thanks.  Just no.  I will say that the aroma of this wine was very appealing - I did note that upon removing the cork.  However, I also noted that the color was very transparent for a red wine; a bit too much light shines through this to end well.  I'm not even sure how to approach the taste - it was thin, and vinegary, and just generally taste-less.  You know what is weird?  The dimple on the bottom is pretty deep for a $10 bottle.

Helpful Husband Tip: "I'm sure it's fine *sip* Oh, maybe not."

My mom & brother did not find it too bad - which surprised me... especially the brother factor.  So, maybe I am on the rebound.

Banrock Station: Week #33

Banrock Station (Australia, 2008)
13.5% alc./vol.
$12.99

A word from the wine:
"For over 10 years we have proudly supported projects that include Atlantic Salmon recovery in Canada, flamingo protection in Kenya, wetland restoration, climate change research and water saving initiatives"
I figured since I used to work in Atlantic Salmon conservation and my husband has trouble identifying flamingoes that this wine was a good choice.


Dear Banrock Station,

When I first laid eyes on you, I knew in my heart that we could be friends.  You're from Australia, and I love Australians.  You had interesting label notes, and I fell in love with your understated yet sophisticated styling.  You tasted great and I was ready for a good time.  You were easy drinking.  Too easy.  And for that reason, I am sorry to say that I just don't think this relationship can move forward.

This has nothing to do with you.  You're great, really you are.  In fact, that is why I couldn't control myself around you.  It's just that the timing wasn't right.  I was out with friends (bad influences) and my kids were safely at home in bed - I felt free.  Too free.  No one else was drinking you - I had you all to myself.  I took all of you and I gave you nothing in return.  I'm thinking of what is right for you in this situation.  You deserve better.  I'm not the right person for you, and I don't like the person I became when I was around you.  I should have taken our relationship more slowly - given us time to get to know each other.  But, you've already seen this dark side of me, and it is too late to turn back now.

Please don't take it personally when you see me in the liquor store and I walk past your display without even a second glance.  I don't trust myself.  We can't be friends.  In another world, another time, we would have been perfect for each other.  But here and now, we just aren't meant to be together.  Don't worry - you won't sit on the shelf for long.  You'll find someone new to pick you up, and hopefully they will treat you the way you deserve to be treated.  They'll drink you one glass at a time - one night you'll have dinner, the next maybe watch a movie or enjoy an evening on the patio.  They won't abuse you the way I did. 

I'm sorry it had to end this way.

Deepest Regrets,

Saturday Shiraz