Yellowtail - Shiraz

Price: $6.99
Region: Australia
Year: 2006

OK, as I promised a couple of times already, I am taking a quick break from the task of picking an untried wine out each week, and am going to run through my list of "default wines". I have a pretty good list for my top five, and have decided to start at the top, instead of working my way to my number 1. Not quite sure why, but just what I felt like doing.

So, that being said, I am sure it is of no surprise that my #1 default wine is Yellowtail Shiraz. I think I could review this one in my sleep if I had to. It started a few years back when I had a membership at Costco, and used to make monthly runs to stock up on wine. I always picked up a couple 1.5L bottles of Yellowtail for a mere $9.99. Now that I no longer have my Costco membership, I just grab a bottle now and then at my local wine store, but eventhough it is a few dollars more, it is still a bargain that is hard to beat in my opinioin.

When I first pour a glass, the color is a deep dark ruby red. Definitely no lack of color here. The smell is typcial Shiraz, with just a hint of spice, but in general very appealing. As is always the case though, what really keeps me coming back is the taste. For an inexpensive wine, I find that Yellowtail always hits the spot. I happend to have a bottle this weekend because I knew I was having a simple dinner of pizza, and there's not much more I like with pizza then a bottle of Yellowtail Shiraz. It has a nice bold fruity flavor, with a slightly spicy feel, but definitely doesn't over do it. The one think I find most appealing is that from bottle to bottle, from year to year, the product is very consistent. That is definitely one of the attributes I look for in my default picks, and hence why this one ranks #1.

Rating: 4 Corks (#1 for a reason)