TWO UP SHIRAZ - 2004

Anyone that knows me well, knows that I am not a fan of Australian wines. To me they taste medicinal, thin, overly sweet and are the perfect example of marketing over substance.

Yellowtail shiraz from down under probably best represents this type of grape juice that masquerades as red wine. It has swept up the nation and is one of the top sellers in America. Syrah (not shiraz) is one of my favorite varietals. Yes, they are pretty much the same grape, but I beg to differ when it comes to taste.

One of my goals on this blog is to encourage wine drinkers to explore "better" wines and to wake up their palates. I'm often amazed how many people find a wine they like and just keep buying it. Even worse, they buy it by the case. In my cellar, I rarely have more than 2 bottles of the same wine. The reason being, there are just too many great bottles out there and not enough time to taste them all. So why waste time with repeat experiences, when there's a plethora of new ones that await you.

Traveling to the wine store and making a purchase can be an intimidating expedition. I hope that my wine reviews and comments can help alleviate those inhibitions. No one wants to buy a bottle of bad wine, but that shouldn't stop you from expanding your wine taste buds.

This blog review focuses on an Australian Shiraz. The 2004 TWO UP SHIRAZ was an exciting experience for me. It was a phenomenal Australian Shiraz. Yes, I'm eating my words, but I took a risk and was pleasantly surprised.

TASTING NOTES:

TWO UP was so jammy with strong blueberry and plum fruit. It also had tremendous mouth drying tannins. This is a big wine and not what I'm accustomed to from Kangarooville. The alcohol was finely integrated. The wine had a terrific fruity nose, a hint of chocolate, and a really beautiful dark color. It retails for around $13 which is a complete steal for this level of wine. Comparable California Syrahs of this quality that I hold dear to my heart would be in the $30 range.

SCORE & RECOMMENDATION:

91 PTS
Won't disappoint wine snobs or casual red wine drinkers.
A roaring crowd pleaser.