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Fresh off his trip to Belize, Collin Flatt goes back to what he knows best. Today, he takes Aussie Shiraz to task, and finds a champ.

The first thing I learned about wine was that bad Shiraz can be the worst experience of your life. To wit: Yellow Tail Shiraz. A tarry, gummy, one-dimensional sucktasm that won’t go away. It’s the cockroach of wine. Long after we’re dead, it’ll still be here because it killed every last one of us. I don’t like it very much.

Shiraz, or Syrah, is a powerful grape that needs to run free and live big. It fluorishes in many climates, but finds a sweetspot in Australia where the intense heat pushes the alcohol and flavor of the berries to astronomical heights. When done right, Shiraz is exalting and gregarious. The life of the party, the bouncer, all at once. The problem with finding quality Aussie Shiraz is price. There’s a glut of chaff out there, and you’ll pay top dollar for top names. None more important than Penfolds Grange, and Two Hands Ares. A bottle of the former will set you back around $300, the latter, $180.

It’s a rule that silly looking labels have silly wine inside. The Cape Mentelle Shiraz’s non-descript label will cause most casual wine drinkers to pass it over for another Aussie, ‘Woop Woop’. Don’t make this mistake, I implore you.  Grab whatever you can of the Cape, it’s the best value-priced Shiraz I have ever tasted.

When first poured, she has heavy aromas of licorice and pepper, framed by slight gamey-ness. On the wash it’s all blackberry and jammy fruit, some cassis, and chocolate near the mid-palate. You’d swear the rim of your glass was dusted with black pepper. The crisp and quick finish is a huge surprise and actually makes the bottle a perfect foil for meat and gamefowl dishes. She’s quite versatile, works in the fields during the day, dresses slinky at night. All class, great body. No makeup, natural curls and a walk To. Die. For. She’s not afraid to work with a partner, and doesn’t require constant attention and reassurance throughout the night. If you’re lucky enough to take her home, she’s got a few tricks up her sleeve. You will enjoy them all.

This bottle has been popping up around town for the ungoddamnbelievable price of $14.99. Absurd. I took two sips and rewarded the talents of the winemaker with the purchase of a case. You should do the same. It’s in heavy rotation on the Chariman’s Selection right now, but it won’t last long. The PLCB code is 27307.

–Collin Flatt

Collin Flatt is a former Beer Pong champ turned oenophile. Collin Flatt spends his tax refunds on wine. Collin Flatt has his Bachelor’s Degree in drinking and is getting his Master’s Degree in winemaking. Collin Flatt is working on an Arctic Splash Cuvee. Collin Flatt writes about wine for Phoodie.info.

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