Richard Hamilton Colton’s GSM 2020

If you are a fan of Rhone grapes/wines then I have just the one for you. Coming in at AUS $30, $27 if you are smart enough to head to winedirect.com.au! The Schwarz GSM is UBER drinkable.  2017 wasn't the best vintage in Barossa but what the guys have done at the Schwarz company is a wine that you would think came from one of the better vintages! You get notes of soft red fruit, violet, mulberries, and licorice too alongside juicy tannins, perfectly balanced acidity, and a touch of oak. With ratings of 94 points from both Huon Hooke & Nick Butler, it's defo a great drop. 

We’ve never done a blog pairing wines with food ‘out of the freezer or can’ but now seems like a pretty good time.

Sweet and spicy, everything nice-y! A lovely nibbler.

The Meatballs

So simple, a good pizza lets the ingredients sing. Superb prosciutto is a must for this dish.

We’ve never done a blog pairing wines with food ‘out of the freezer or can’ but now seems like a pretty good time.

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,

Less than 40km south of Adelaide, McLaren Vale is another one of South Australia's renowned Shiraz producers, accounting for roughly 50% of grapes crushed annually. The climate is markedly different from the Barossa, being much more Mediterranean with four clear seasons and higher rainfalls. McLaren Vale reds reflect this, showing deep complexity and power along with the ability to cellar for decades. While Shiraz grabs the most attention, chocolate-rich Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays and Viogniers are worth sampling.

The climate is influenced by ocean breezes coming in from the Gulf of St. Vincent to the west and the altitude of the Sellicks Hill Range to the south. Soil type is varied, ranging from red-brown loam and sand to dark clay and the often-mentioned terra rosa. A misspell of the Italian phrase "terra rossa" (meaning "red soil"), this ruddy-red stuff is left behind when limestone breaks down, and any viticulturist will tell you it's great stuff to grow vines in due