Karl’s Scepter Coonawarra Cabernet 2020

I'm gonna ruffle a few feathers here with this one and go MERLOT!!! Mer-what? I know, I know, merlot hasn't got the best of reputations these days but honest to god there are some crackers out there! Often massed produced and definitely overdone in California at least it has grown out of popularity somewhat. WELL, prepare to have your mind changed in a matter of mls!! 

This stew is packed with earthy flavours filled with mushrooms, turnips and carrots. Tomato paste helps to add more body and those delicious herby dumplings on top make it a complete dish. Hungry yet?

Whenever we eat grilled or bbq’d lamb at home, if it’s not an Aussie wine then our first choice is a Valpolicella from fair Verona in Italy.  You just can’t beat the flavour and texture that you get from these wines.  Sitting back with this salad served family style, knowing the hard part is done there is no better feeling than sipping a glass of Valpolicella amongst friends and family.

Shiraz (which is essentially Syrah) is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines.

Wines made from Syrah are often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. The variety produces wines with a wide range of flavor notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary" notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary" notes such as leather and truffle.

"Secondary" flavor and aroma notes are those associated with several things, generally winemakers' practices (such as oak barrel and yeast regimes).

History

It is called Syrah in its country of origin, France, as well as in the rest of Europe,

Cabernet Sauvignon is unmistakably one of the world's most recognised red wine varieties. It is produced in most major wine growing regions across the world, from the banks of the Gironde in France to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, to the valleys of California where it overtook the Zinfandel variety on it's rise to glory. Since the late 1800s Australia has definitely proven itself in the world of the humble 'Cab Sauv'. Speaking locally, I turn the page on my desk copy of Halliday's 'Wine Atlas of Australia & New Zealand', to read: 'Whichever yardstick one adopts, Coonawarra produces most of Australia's great Cabernet Sauvignon.'

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