Hi!! Tonight, as the United States dissolves into default on its obligations, we review an Australian shiraz from 2008 that costs $20 at Total Wine.
Well, well, well. Here’s a delicious shiraz. Importantly, for tonight’s governmental festivities, it has a stout 15% alcohol. It’s spicy. Dense. Big. Loaded with dry tobacco and juicy blueberries. And yes! Some chocolate.
HERE’S THE PROBLEM. I’m drinking Shotfire together with another little Aussie shiraz from 2009 that I like to call, “Rosemount” (reviewed here). It’s really good. Although sorely lacking in House/Senate anesthetic potency — it has a meager 13.5% alcohol — it is in fact beautifully dense, warm, juicy, and spicy. And it costs a big, fat, $6.50 at Total Wine. Ha! Less than 1/3rd the cost of Shotfire.
Although Shotfire is clearly better, with more complexity, more transparency to its flavor, and more dry “snap” in your mouth to accompany its juicy warmth, it’s not 3 times better than Rosemount. I’m not even sure it’s 2 times better. So, it’s just too expensive. Shotfire, at $20, although very nice to drink, is unfortunately:
Not recommended.
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