Friday, September 10, 2010

Layer Cake Shiraz `09 $17.99 (Not TJ's) ***

South Australian Layer Cake Shiraz. This is a big, powerful (14.9%), saturated wine. Definitely a food wine.  First sip was wow, intense.  I tried to identify the taste.  It was like a thick blackberry taste with a slight oaky undertone and subtle tannins. I am not a fan of oak but it was understated in this wine, and it gave it a nice platform for the intense dried fruit taste.  After a run through the vinturi, it was smoother, but the tannins were more pronounced.  I wouldn't decant this wine.  Drink it as poured.

We had it with smoked duck breast and venison & pork sausage braised in red cabbage.  (The kitchen was wafting in drool inducing smells all afternoon!) It is getting cooler here in NY, and it is time to start cooking heavier comfort food. There was also some mashed potatoes for the non cabbage eater in the house. (well, they started out as a baked potato and then were modified... long story...)

Layer Cake Wines is an interesting distributor - run by a Canadian.  They seem to have relationships all over the world, their wines come from Australia, Napa, Central Coast CA, Italy and Argentina - truly a global label. It is an interesting story behind Layer Cake - to read more, check this out: Jayson Woodbridge's Layer Cake.  All I can say is good plonk at a good price. I think Jayson's Grandfather would approve.

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