GUILTY! Yet Again – 19 Crimes

This wine has legs, and I am not describing the usual wine reference. Yes, while it longingly coats your wine glass thanks to the alcohol level of about 14%, the longevity of 19 CRIMES on Whine and Cheers for Wine is admirable.  Hard to believe that I discovered this wine over two years ago as reported in GUILTY-19Crimes. In that time my original review has repeatedly made the daily Top visited list on Whine and Cheers. It is included below following this post.

Not having had it for a while and watching it continuously fly off our store shelves I decided it was time to revisit the most recent vintage of 19 CRIMES.  So excited was I that I forgot to notice the listed crime on the cork. Yes as many as you may know, each of the individual 19 crimes are listed on the cork. Turns out it was: #9 ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB. Check out this short entertaining video and see how these “crimes” actually came to be:

The first thing I noticed on this new 2014 vintage was that it was lighter in body than I recalled. I would say on the light side of medium bodied. On the nose leather hit me first followed by red fruit [strawberry, raspberry] and an earthiness [think wet soil] as it opened. On the palate I detected a floral quality [violet] and red fruit [cherry] with cocoa and vanilla as it opened.

One thing didn’t change, three-quarters of the bottle disappeared before I knew what happened! 19 CRIMES continues to be an easy-drinker, a wine that can be paired well with many dishes. In fact maybe even more so now with its lighter body style. I will continue to recommend this wine to customers looking for a fruit forward blend, also those customers new to wine wanting to find their footing. Easy drinker? Check. Nicely balanced? Check. Good value? At under $13.00 you better believe it.  ¡SALUD!

I recently had the pleasure of attending my first regional wine meeting for Whole Foods Market. We were introduced to hundreds of wines and given the opportunity to taste them all.  As you can imagine it was a bit difficult to differentiate the wines after the first 100 🙂  even though we were spitting and not swallowing. Luckily I took notes that I could actually read and this wine made the list.

Meet John Boyle O’Reilly [pictured at left] from the 19 CRIMES wine bottle label.  John along with others are featured via real mug shots on each bottle with the real crimes listed on each box/case of wine.

The corks used in each bottle list the 19 CRIMES which could make things interesting for the cork collectors out there. I got #11 Counterfeiting The Copper Coin on my bottle. Crime #12 pictured here; BIGAMY.

From the 19 CRIMES website:

NINETEEN CRIMES turned criminals into colonists. Upon conviction British rogues guilty of those crimes were sentenced to Australia rather than death.  This punishment by “transportation” began in 1788 and many of the lawless died at sea.  The rough-hewn prisoners that reached Australia lived in servitude under the lash. Pioneers in a frontier penal colony, they forged a new country and new lives, brick by brick. This Shiraz Durif blend celebrates the rules they broke and the culture they built.

Soon after our regional meeting I brought in 10 cases to display in our Whole Foods Market North Miami wine department. Sales have been brisk and continue to increase as word spreads. The packaging is a big draw; frosted bottle, mug shots, historical facts. Also the sale price of $12.99 is a good price point for those willing to experiment on a new wine while maybe discovering  a new favorite.

Last night I decided to buy a bottle to make sure my somewhat blurred memory of this wine was correct.  Whew, luckily for me it was!  My notes:

Nose; rich red and dark fruit, plum, spice, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, tobacco, molasses.

Palate; vanilla, butterscotch/molasses, pepper, violet, licorice, red fruit finish.

Not included above is my better half’s descriptor of; cherry Popsicle stick. With my dumbfounded gaze he added; “you know, not the Popsicle itself but when you chew the stick afterwards”.  Adding; “if new tennis ball can can be used by others as a descriptor then I can use cherry Popsicle stick!”  There you have it, maybe a first, right here on Whine and Cheers for Wine. Come to think of it; red fruit, cherry, wood…he may be on to something!

This wine is an easy drinker and SMOOTH. Very well-balanced for a wine with 13-14% alcohol. It disappears before your very eyes. So yes, I will continue to recommend this nicely priced, well packaged southeastern Australian blend of Shiraz and Petite Sirah aka Durif.  Heck, I’ll continue to buy it myself!  ¡SALUD!

Related articles

• 19 Crimes Canadians Not Likely to Commit, But Clamouring For (prnewswire.com)

GUILTY! – 19 Crimes

I recently had the pleasure of attending my first regional wine meeting for Whole Foods Market. We were introduced to hundreds of wines and given the opportunity to taste them all.  As you can imagine it was a bit difficult to differentiate the wines after the first 100 🙂  even though we were spitting and not swallowing. Luckily I took notes that I could actually read and this wine made the list.

Meet John Boyle O’Reilly [pictured at left] from the 19 CRIMES wine bottle label.  John along with others are featured via real mug shots on each bottle with the real crimes listed on each box/case of wine.

The corks used in each bottle list the 19 CRIMES which could make things interesting for the cork collectors out there. I got #11 Counterfeiting The Copper Coin on my bottle. Crime #12 pictured here; BIGAMY.

From the 19 CRIMES website:

NINETEEN CRIMES turned criminals into colonists. Upon conviction British rogues guilty of those crimes were sentenced to Australia rather than death.  This punishment by “transportation” began in 1788 and many of the lawless died at sea.  The rough-hewn prisoners that reached Australia lived in servitude under the lash. Pioneers in a frontier penal colony, they forged a new country and new lives, brick by brick. This Shiraz Durif blend celebrates the rules they broke and the culture they built.

Soon after our regional meeting I brought in 10 cases to display in our Whole Foods Market North Miami wine department. Sales have been brisk and continue to increase as word spreads. The packaging is a big draw; frosted bottle, mug shots, historical facts. Also the sale price of $12.99 is a good price point for those willing to experiment on a new wine while maybe discovering  a new favorite.

Last night I decided to buy a bottle to make sure my somewhat blurred memory of this wine was correct.  Whew, luckily for me it was!  My notes:

Nose; rich red and dark fruit, plum, spice, vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate, tobacco, molasses.

Palate; vanilla, butterscotch/molasses, pepper, violet, licorice, red fruit finish.

Not included above is my better half’s descriptor of; cherry Popsicle stick. With my dumbfounded gaze he added; “you know, not the Popsicle itself but when you chew the stick afterwards”.  Adding; “if new tennis ball can can be used by others as a descriptor then I can use cherry Popsicle stick!”  There you have it, maybe a first, right here on Whine and Cheers for Wine. Come to think of it; red fruit, cherry, wood…he may be on to something!

This wine is an easy drinker and SMOOTH. Very well-balanced for a wine with 13-14% alcohol. It disappears before your very eyes. So yes, I will continue to recommend this nicely priced, well packaged southeastern Australian blend of Shiraz and Petite Sirah aka Durif.  Heck, I’ll continue to buy it myself!  ¡SALUD!

Related articles

• 19 Crimes Canadians Not Likely to Commit, But Clamouring For (prnewswire.com)

Qué Syrah Shiraz….??

Hogue Cellars Genesis 2009 Syrah and Jacob’s Creek 2009 Shiraz back to back:

English: Clusters of Shiraz, or Syrah grapes. Note the deep color of the berries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once again the Wine powers that be brought me two wines to enjoy this week. One from Australia [Jacob’s Creek] the other from our own Washington State [Genesis].  Interestingly both wines are from the same vintage,  are marketed at different price points and are from different continents; therefore the Syrah vs. Shiraz which is actually the same varietal.  First off let’s start with a little background;

Syrah is the primary (sometimes sole) grape variety used to make the famous red Rhône wines of Côte Rotie and Hermitage and also the component that gives backbone and structure to most Rhône blends, including Chateauneuf  du Pape. Although slow to cross the threshold of popular acceptance, syrah became one of California’s most planted varieties around the cusp of the millennial transition. In 1984, there were less than 100 acres, but by 2010, over 19,000 vineyard acres in the state were growing syrah.

Genesis 2009 Syrah – Columbia Valley

Price range: $12-20.00

Winemaker’s notes:

The Hogue family planted its first vineyard over 25 years ago and soon realized that Washington’s climate and soils had the potential to nurture world-class wines. The Hogue Cellars’ mission has always been to make wines that fulfill the promise of the land, using superior viticulture and winemaking techniques. Today, the family’s original vision is celebrated in Genesis wines, which are crafted with the highest quality fruit from acclaimed vineyards throughout Columbia Valley.

Washington Syrah exhibits dark, juicy fruit character, brilliant color, a complex varietal gaminess and a relatively low tannin level.

I luckily found this wine in our Winn-Dixie grocery store clearance rack; marked down from $16.00 to $7.99.  Priced perfectly for experimenting with a varietal I have not often had on its own.  That, plus the fact that I enjoy discovering Washington State wines.

My tasting notes:  Beautiful purple hue as it was decanted with black ripe fruit, violet, plum and casis on the nose.  Sleek slow legs draped themselves on my tasting chalice.  On the palate I noted the addition of cedar, tobacco, cocoa, vanilla and blackberry jam followed by a soft finish.  I had expected a fruit forward jammy tasting wine but this one in particular seemed overwhelmed by its time in wood.  Decanting and breathing never subsided the effect.  Because of this I would describe this wine as too woody for me. Unfortunately the fruitiness of the varietal got lost in the process.

Critical acclaim:

“Well made and muscular, this compact effort brings black fruit, black olive, black licorice and espresso flavors together in a balanced and strikingly complex Syrah. The blend includes small amounts of Cabernet, Lemberger, Sangiovese and Merlot – unusual but it works. Editors’ Choice” 90 Points Wine Enthusiast

Jacob’s Creek 2009 Shiraz

Price range; $5.99-$8.99

Winemaker Notes:

Lifted aroma of fresh Raspberry and Black Cherry, underpinned with a softly spiced background. Refined, mouth filling berry fruit flavours are supported with a soft acidity, leading to a long and flavoursome finish to the wine.

Vintage Conditions:
A cool and dry winter preceded the 2009 growing season. Dry conditions prevailed into spring and early summer requiring the implementation of  supplementary irrigation to maintain healthy and protective grapevine canopies. Early February temperatures were slightly cooler than average  in most regions, ideal for the gradual accumulation of essential grape sugars and flavours. Harvesting of Shiraz occurred in earlier than usual,
which was advantageous as March saw a record breaking heat wave strike most of South Eastern Australia.

My Tasting notes: 

On the nose; jammy, herbaceous [grass, bell pepper], fruity [ripe blackberry, fig, currant, raisin], eucalyptus, dried tobacco, licorice, oak and leather as it opened.  On the palate; powerful yet tight, not as fruity as I expected, needing to open but not really doing so as time passed. I noted some softening of the tannins at about 10 minutes but no difference at 30 minutes.

In conclusion I would have to say the Jacob’s Creek is a smoother, easier wine to drink. It offers a greater variety of tasting points for the drinker to enjoy compared to the Genesis where it is difficult to get beyond the strong wood scent and taste.  The fact that I paid $5.99 for the Jacob’s Creek is also a great selling point. I look forward to comparing it to others in the same price range [such as Yellowtail] and also look forward to trying Syrah’s from other areas of the world. Que Syrah, Shiraz!  ¡SALUD!

Varietal Aromas/Flavors:	Processing Bouquets/Flavors:
FRUIT: black currant, blackberry	TERROIR: musk, civet, truffle, earth
FLORAL: grass	OAK (light): vanilla, coconut, sweet wood
SPICE: black pepper, licorice, clove, thyme, bay leaf	OAK (heavy): oak, smoke, toast, tar
HERBAL: sandalwood, cedar	BOTTLE AGE: cedar, cigar box, earth, leather

Related articles

• “It’s the Shiraz, Dawling” (10minutewine.com)

Winking Owl Vineyards Shiraz – $2.99!!!

Sunset on Devils Ridge

Winking Owl Vineyards Shiraz – $2.99!!!

It is 62 degrees on the deck as I watch the sun set behind Hogback and Melrose mountain tonight. In the background a local college radio station is playing and birds are serenading me.  Hard to believe it was 33 degrees this morning,  70 degrees at noon, we’ve almost had a summer day today.  Now my favorite mountain getaway tradition: happy hour!  Not quite so happy when you are alone.  I would rather be here with my better half, but after a day of vacation home projects this is quite the nice reward to myself, even if it includes wine I found today for only $2.99!!!

I discovered this wine today at a local branch of an ALDI grocery store. This low-end or I should probably describe it as low price retailer from Germany is expanding throughout the U.S. Some compare it to Trader Joe’s because they sell their own brand name products or product names you would not recognize. Like their european counterpart grocery stores there is a 25 cent [refundable] fee to rent carts and you are expected to bring your own bags for the merchandise you buy or pay for the plastic/paper bags needed at checkout.  It is a concept I wish we had closer to home.

Upon opening and decanting the first aroma to hit me was vinegar, not a good sign :).  Like magic and within seconds I started to detect mild notes of leather and oak opening to fruit: raspberry and strawberry.  This austere wine accompanied my garlic ziti dinner for one and I must say I rather enjoyed it at the time. Unfortunately I must report that soon afterwards I developed sinus congestion that drove me batty for hours and even worse a harsh headache overnight.  Both conditions not ones I usually suffer from when drinking wine. May just be a coincidence and I must admit I would give it another chance mostly because of the price but………

Internet research although not verified points to the fact that this California wine is produced by E&J Gallo for Aldi grocery stores.  This producer is obviously well-known and has been around for decades.  That said, they can be a high quantity low price producer with that as one of their niche markets. I love my deals and finding great value wines but unfortunately after having another similarly produced wine last year,  I am starting to detect a low priced pattern.  Note to self; I am not becoming a wine snob, I am not becoming a wine snob…….

SALUD!

Related articles

• Syrah and Shiraz are the Same Grape (brokensecrets.com)
• Cabernet and Shiraz against the Reds … (winebookclub.org)
• Revisiting Aldi’s Grocery Store (ummebraaheem.wordpress.com)