Moorebank "Sheila" Black Sheep Shiraz 2009

Moorebank Private Vineyard

“Sheila” Black Sheep Shiraz 2009

Pokolbin (Hunter Valley), New South Wales

Wine maker: Gary Reed

Price: $30 a bottle

I like winemakers of the relaxed type. Gary Reed, you have done well. Sheila is a deep purple-red shiraz originating from Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley Wine Region of  New South Wales.

I drank this bottle over a few days and I have found it to be a versatile dinner-party-friendly wine. There’s been green chicken curry, roasted five spice chicken, stir-fry, chocolate, bruschetta, and steak (with a jus made from the Sheila Shiraz) The nose reminds me of warm cherry pie I once bought on a long drive from Sydney to Brisbane. It’s relatively sweet and the aromas continue into the mouth and develops depth that is added by the oak it is preserved in (only a slight sweek soft oak.. not like you’re drinking wood at all). The velvety tannins are a genius finish as the wine pulls away so as you swallow you’re left salivating and wanting another taste so that you can experience the journey all over again.

At $30 a bottle I would recommend you to keep 1 or 2 in your cellar to drink in the next year if you want to impress. It’s one of those bottles that will make you look like an avid wine critic as it seems quite hard to find now. Nevertheless, poke around the website and see what you can find :)

 

Chalk Hill 2011 Moscato

Moscatos are lovely for a pre-dinner drink with friends or a saturday afternoon with family (6% alcohol content!).
Chalk Hill is a family owned winery found in McLaren Vale, South Australia. 

Chalk Hill’s 2011 Moscato is a light yellow with a green tinge around the edges. As the bottle opens i get a lovely surprise with the bubbles that rise to the surface. The glass I used also created large bubbles that would rise to the surface.



On the nose it has a very subtle bouquet that becomes more pronounced in the mouth as you let the bubbles fizz to the side of your tongue. It smells fresh like spring sweetened with honey and balanced with citrus notes.
As you swallow the wine, it is refreshing and sweet with flavours of dried fruit (think a mix of apple, sultanas and apricots). Just before you swallow the citrus lemon and lime cleanses most of the palate. After swallowing, pause and you can taste the remaining honey that has coated the insides of your mouth.

You can find the 2011 Moscato for $18 a bottle, or the 2012 vintage here