Jeanne is hosting Worldwide WineBlogging Wednesday #6: South African Reds over at her foodblog Cooksister and here’s my contribution. My original tasting notes about these wines expired along with my laptop after its unfortunate encounter with an indiscreet glass of Australian Shiraz, so sadly these notes are much briefer and somewhat less amusing:
Crow’s Fountain Merlot/Pinotage/Shiraz 2003 [£6.50 Sainsburys, Paddington train station]
My fellow taster Mark and I both agreed this was quite heavy. Mark, who much prefers whites, declared that he would only be able to drink a glass of it, which he then proceeded to prove. I thought it was a hangover in the making, so drank the rest of it slowly over the weekend.
The Crow’s Fountain had a pleasant taste with no oakiness or tannin, but with no real distinguishing flavor. For such a heavy wine it also had remarkably little body. We decided the best word to describe it was ‘innocuous’. I wouldn’t bother buying it again as there are much more memorable South African reds available for the same price or less.
This accompanied a dinner of pork & herb sausages, roast pepper salad and garlic & cheese mash. An unremarkable meal for an unremarkable wine.
Allee Bleue Shiraz 2002 [£10.50 the 'Oddbins' opposite 'Forbidden Planet' in Shaftesbury Ave]
In a word: delicious!
A beautiful burst of raspberry on the palate, plummy taste, lovely nose, mild tanin, good aftertaste and body. Absolutely yummy. I thought this was a delightful Shiraz, well worth the price and a rebuy.
And it went very nicely with Stilton-stuffed chicken breast, Jerusalem artichoke fritters and steamed baby greens.
