Wine Tasting - Lindeman's Shiraz

 Name: Lindeman's Shiraz    

Grapes: Shiraz                        

Region: Southeast                                                                                         

Country: Austrailia                                                                                   

Vintage: 2021                                                                                                  

Price: $5.99

Wine critic review: "The wine’s flavor was smooth with overtones of ripe plum and dark cherry.  Some mellow spice was also noticed. Tannins were quite present and noted on the sides and tip of the tongue. Mouthfeel of Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz was considered woolen, but not off putting. The wine had a long and lingering mouth coating finish. Overall this is a very enjoyable Shiraz.  It’s not too complex but it does have a lot of presence.  It’s rich and really hits you over the head with its flavor." - Jon Rogers, Honest Wine Reviews

My Review: When I first smelled this wine, it instantly reminded me of the Apothic Pinot Noir that I had a few weeks ago. It had the same buttery and berry-like smell. Specifically, I smelled notes of cherries and blackberries. I also picked up on an oaky smell, although it was very slight. I thought it had a great balance between tannins and sweetness. It is definitly a more dry wine, but still sweet enough that I don't feel my mouth wanting to water. It had a very subtle blackberry flavor, and I would consider it to be a medium to full body wine. I enjoyed this wine with my dinner while catching up on Netflix's Love is Blind. My dinner consisted of a spinach salad, and ziti with chicken parm. I thought it paired well with the richness of the pasta but didn't quite mesh well with the spinach salad. Overall, I really enjoyed this wine and look forward to having it again. 

Wine Folly: Shiraz, or Syrah as it's called in France, is described in Wine Folly (page 272) as being a rich and powerful wine with food pairings of darker meats and exotic spices. A chart shows that it has the maximum level of body, and the 2nd to highest levels of tannins and acidity (page 273). I agree with this analysis, however I was surprised to see that it had the lowest level of sweetness. I thought the Lineman Shiraz, I thought it had high tannins but also a good amount of sweetness. While I had described the taste as "blackberry", Wine Folly mentions "plum", which I think is a much more accurate description (page 274).