LCBO Sale Pick of the Week: May 14
Big Oak Red 2012 Cabernet Shiraz (Coastal Region, South Africa)
Sale $10.80, Regular $11.80
Discount (until May 24): $1.00
LCBO # 350595 | 750 mL bottle
Tastes like: Peppery black and blue fruit. Kind of a cross between a Southern Rhone village wine, an Australian Shiraz and a basic Bordeaux.
Pairs with: BBQ, steak, red sauce, burgers, lamb.
Good for: Any theme night: pizza, movie, poker, bowling...
Alcohol: 14%
Drink: Now.
Why we're drinking this
Because we're bargain hunters, and South Africa is overflowing with great deals. That's the plight of being an un-hip region. South Africa's misfortune is our good fortune, so drink up while you can and get twice the wine for half the price. Eventually people will get wise and prices will rise. South Africa has a deep wine-making history and Bellingham, which means pretty fields, has roots going back to the 1600s. Since 1948, the Podlashuk family has overseen modernization efforts and a wide range of wines produced via minimal intervention. This wine is one from their new "tree series" of "happy go lucky" wines. (Trees are the new critters.)
Tasting note
Deliciousness in an easy-drinking package. A juicy and savoury melange of plum and blackberry with a nice backbeat of dried herbs and a hint of pepper. Tannins are smooth and ripe, making this a relatively soft wine, but it's got a balancing bite of acidity. It's juicy on the finish with a hint of chocolate. For a tad over ten bucks, this is a stellar deal. The label is nice too—it looks like a more expensive wine.
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This week's selection by kwäf Taste Bud Dick Snyder