Jacob's Creek, Shiraz (Reserve), 2001

From the bottle, the reserve Shiraz is sourced from grapes harvested in Southern Australia (presumably Barossa valley). This shiraz is 14.5 percent alcohol by volume and should be good with red meats.

Where did I find it: Purchased at Fry’s (on sale)

What did I pair it with: Burgers

Appearance: Crimson with brown hues and good legs

Smell: A little hot, with underlying notes of leather and cassis.

Taste: It doesn’t taste hot (thankfully) – it has a good mouthfeel, spicy, sour cherry tannins, and a mostly dry, dusty finish.

Price: $7.00
Quality rating: 84/100
Value rating: 49.14/60

Takeaway: Part three of the Australian Shiraz tastings…the wine is pretty simple and a little hot on the nose, but certainly not undrinkable (especially when considering the price). If you’re just starting out, or really love decent wines at low prices, then this wine is for you. However, if you have more discriminating tastes (or a really sensitive sniffer in this case), there are better wines out there to quaff.