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2005 R Wines First Class Shiraz
By perryd | February 11, 2008
I admit it, I was sucked in by the label, which looks exactly like an airline boarding pass. The capsule is fashioned like a luggage tag. It’s straight Shiraz from the 2005 vintage in South Australia.
All cuteness aside, the wine is a real powerhouse. I’d forgotten how in-your-face Australian Shy-Raz can be…First Class is a seriously meaty wine with that peppery, spicy, jammy flavor that the grape brings to the table. Lots of red fruit, but ripe red fruit, not the watery grape juice that makes you start looking for the Welch’s bottle.
How in your face is this wine? Nearly 16% (15.7), but it isn’t hot…it’s just right. This is a wine that will be just as delicious in ten years as it is now.
I normally don’t worry much about pairing food with wine, but in this case my advice is to drink First Class with something that will stand up to it…curry, stew, roast, cheeseburgers. I like this wine a lot, and it’s quite affordable at around $20 a bottle.
Topics: Wine |