New World Wonders
It’s almost the weekend Club Members!
I can’t believe it is Friday again! This cold weather pushed me back to reality really quickly after a week off but still managed to go on a search for some new wines. And I was so thrilled to find these effortlessly awesome reds.
I have also been busy planning a trip to some wine bars next month and another little outing to the city but I will fill you in on the details a bit later.
As always, if you need a pick me up and some ideas after work, head to our Home page where you can find reviews, tips and our favourite wines, all in one place.
Today’s mood calls for ….
Some rocking reds
Friend and I missed a whole week without the Accidental Wine Club so we had a lot of catching up to do! The excitement to taste these has been growing for a few days.
We had big hopes. And we weren’t disappointed.
Don’t tell Gary Shiraz from Victoria, Australia has been on my radar for a while but was waiting for the right moment and time to try it. I am not going to reveal the back label to you, will keep it a surprise but please have a look. As wine label design goes, this is one of the best ones I have seen for a while and set the bar quite high for the liquid inside of it.
At 14.8% ABV this Shiraz is not something you would just sip on after work. It’s big and bold with a very attractive dark garnet colour. Blueberries and crushed black cherries on the nose, that first smell already shows the powers of this red. Dark chocolate aromas follow on the palate and it starts to become stronger and deeper with every drop. There’s a hint of black pepper, vanilla and a touch of oak ( it was aged in French oak for 12 months) which balances the earthiness of this red so beautifully.
Taste it. Maybe later in the evening. On a special occasion. And try it with a juicy rib-eye and just let it do its magic.
Name: Don’t tell Gary 2021
Origin: Victoria, Australia
Grape: 100% Shiraz
ABV: 14.8%
Notes: Black cherries, blueberries, aromas of dark chocolate. With a hint of black pepper, vanilla and oak. Full-bodied with firm and pronounced tannins
Price: £14.50
Recommend with: Steak, charcuterie but I can recommend pepperoni pizza, which I specifically made for this evening. It worked so well!
Where: Again, I found this wine at my local wine shop but try these guys below, they deliver everywhere in the UK.
Waistcoat Wines - Independent Wine Specialist. Amazing wines. No Bull.
Don't tell Gary Shiraz, Victoria, 2021 - Waistcoat Wines | Wine Delivery
“If anyone orders Merlot, I am leaving.” Sideways, 2004
Merlot has been on my mind recently. And I watched ‘Sideways’ again, the millionth time. It is quite amazing how one movie can affect a whole industry. After the release of the movie in the USA, Pinot Noir sales rocketed and Merlot plummeted.
Then Charles Smith came along and decided it was time to give back Merlot its crown.
The Velvet Devil Merlot
The name speaks for itself. So smooth and velvety! Bright aromas of dark fruit but more redcurrant flavours here than cherries. But it is not just about the fruit in this bottle. A touch of herb, cedar and tobacco aromas alongside some cassis give this wine even more structure. That concentrated richness and the purity of the fruits make it so focused. It goes down a treat, way too easily, with lighter, blueberry flavours on the finish.
I have changed my mind about this Merlot several times in the last few days. I enjoyed it the first time around but I must say, it has grown on me. A lot. It has quietly entered my palate and stayed there, for a very long time, making memories.
Name: The Velvet Devil Merlot 2018
Origin: Washington Estate, USA
Grape: 89% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Malbec
ABV: 13.5%
Notes: Crushed redcurrants, cedar, tobacco and vanilla notes. Touch of herb on the palate and blueberries on the finish. Smooth and velvety
Price: £16.50
Recommend with: A nice big burger but to be honest, it’s so good on its own
Where: Charles Smith Velvet Devil Merlot | Ocado
The surprise wine
I love presents! I am not talking about expensive gifts, it could be the smallest item but if it’s a surprise I am over the moon. I recently received a birthday badge. You know, one of those oversized, colourful things that you really don’t want to put up, especially not in public. But it was so unexpected, from a work colleague and because I never had one before, I was completely taken by it. In a good way!
Giving presents? Oh, that’s even better. Planning and organising that perfect surprise fills me with as much excitement as trying a new wine.
As you can probably guess, I often choose wine for my friends. If I can track down a fine bottle that suits them then I think I have done ok. But what about me getting a bottle of wine as a gift, you wonder? Well, funnily, I never get one! It seems like everyone is afraid to buy me one! Lunch, dinner, birthdays, Christmas, same question, could I choose the wine? Well, faraway friends out there, I won’t anymore, surprise me! And I promise, I will love every sip of it, because I know it will be a fabulous wine, no matter what.
So I am waiting. But until then, I will just hope that the little girl who received a bottle of wine from me for her 1st birthday (instead of a squeaky toy) will feel the same way when she opens it as I did when giving it to her. Thrilled, ecstatic, tearful and just so so happy.
Next time…
Wine bar plans, reds, reds and reds, we are venturing out!
Have a grape weekend!
The 4pm Club