Spanish and Australian Reds

Well, my two week vacation has come to an end. Tomorrow it’s back to the grindstone. Read a lot of books, wrote a lot for my third book, and tried some really nice wines. Here are two incredible bargains that I will definitely putting in my cellar.

Panarroz Jumilla 2006: $9.00. This is a blend of mourvdre, grenache, and syrah and hails from Spain. Very powerful wine. It’s a thick, dark red wine with a bouquet that combines fruitiness with spice. The flavor is a complex blend of plum, black cherry, blueberry, a touch of chocolate, and a little bit of pepper. Nice tannins, too. Very drinkable and for nine bucks, it’s an amazing bargin.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet $8.00: Penfolds winery is one of Australia’s oldest and best known vineyards. They produce a range of wines that range from the bargain wines from Koonunga Hill to the high end Grange wines. Their Shiraz Cabernet is one of those really good bargains. The label said its 78% Shiraz and 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a deep red, almost purple wine. Shiraz’s are known for their powerful fruity aroma and this one doesn’t disappoint. Like the Panarroz, it’s a hefty, powerful wine with black cherry dominating the taste along with blackberries and good tannins. Robert Parker has rated this wine consistently in the 90’s and he certainly got that right.

Both of these wines are excellent for winter sipping or for complementing a thick slab of fillet mignon topped with a mushroom cap. They’ll even stand up to A1 steak sauce if you prefer it on your beef.

Even thought the holidays are over, you can still enjoy some wine.

Ciao!