Tag Archives: shiraz

Wine of the week: Layer Cake Shiraz 2009

The Wine Curmudgeon has always been ambivalent about the Layer Cake wines, which have always seemed to focus more on the chocolate cake label than what was in the bottle. It’s not that some of them weren’t eminently drinkable, and I have reviewed them favorably (and those that weren’t elicited a reply from the producer). Rather, they always made me wonder if they would have been better with a more ordinary label and if had they cost a couple of bucks less.

Not this time, though. This version of the Layer Cake shiraz ($13, sample) is less expensive and isn’t as over the top as some of the other vintages. There’s less sweet fruit, the tannins are much more integrated, the 14.9 percent alcohol isn’t overbearing, and the wine shows some unexpected polish, especially on the finish. Having said that, it’s still a very Australian-style wine, with lots of cherry cola-ish fruit that practically explodes on your nose and in your mouth.

It’s a big wine that even those of us who aren’t all that fond of big wines can enjoy. Drink this with barbecue (beef, pork or chicken) or burgers and enjoy the label. Which is quite clever, especially when it doesn’t get in the way of the wine.

Wine review: Pillar Box Red 2008

pillar box redThis is yet another wine that the recession has turned into a tremendous value. When the Wine Curmudgeon first came across the Pillar Box, it was about as hot as a cheap wine could be — an Australian shiraz blend that Robert Parker loved. And retailers weren’t hesitating to charge a couple of bucks more for it than the suggested $12.

Two years later, some retailers are still selling the 2007 vintage that I tasted then (check out the comments on the first link in this post). And the current vintage, the 2008, hasn’t been replaced by a 2009 or even a 2010, which should have happened in the normal course of events. But the recession, as well as the near-collapse of the Australian wine business, means there has not been a normal course of events for the past three years.

The Pillar Box ($10, purchased) remains an excellent value; especially since it cost $2 less than it did two years ago. And I bought it at a Dallas retailer notorious for higher prices — who knows what a discounter in another part of the country might sell it for? Look for the classic shiraz bacon fat aroma and lots of rich red fruit. But this wine’s flavors are balanced; it’s not over the top or too simple in the way it shows its fruit, and there is some heft at the back to balance the fruit. The extra bottle age has helped, too. This is another great Fourth of July wine — think smoked brisket or chicken.