King of The Castle: Woodstock Shiraz
It’s Saturday night and I’m hungry.
Hungry for a story and a bottle of wine.
My cravings are feed, sure enough, by a guy who works at Vintage Cellars. Raoul is Spanish in origin, has a down-to-earth attitude towards life, and stars as the fairy godmother of wine in this tale.
There’s nothing better than being served at a bottle-o by someone who genuinely loves their trade and knows a hell of a lot about alcohol.
My friend and I had a jolly-old time, tasting a few wines and chatting with Raoul who told us about his long journey through the bountiful vineyards of Chile, South America. A self-confessed lover of Merlot, he nevertheless recognized my lust for Shiraz and recommended a couple of bottles which I bought as a package for $40.
Spot on.
We cracked the first bottle, a 2010 Woodstock Shiraz from McLaren Vale, over some field-baked mushrooms and a beetroot, goats cheese and rocket salad.
The design-snob in me scoffs at the label. It’s clean, but seriously boring. A classic example of something I would never buy, had it not been recommended to me. The label’s only redeeming quality is it’s logo- which is a funky little castle.
The first sip…
That first mouthful is a treat- it’s packed with flavour, and has a sweetness that hints at plums and cherries – or some other kind of red berry i can’t quite place. It’s the kind of wine that makes you crave a piece of chocolate- and by piece I mean large block – which is exactly what I ate after dinner ;)
This wine has a beautiful purple colour and a very subtle finish- it makes for easy drinking over the course of a few hours. I’m very happy to say we did our duty with this one- the last drop was consumed with a sleepy smile around midnight.
Final dregs…
Woodstock Shiraz retails, for around $20 – $25 a bottle.
The Woodstock website tells a beautiful story about the vineyard and it’s origins, which stretch all the way back to the 1900′s in England. Funnily enough, Medieval wooden leg stocks, (historically used for public punishment) are what the Woodstock name refers to. Have a read here for more, including information about their wine philosophy, restaurant, and Cellar Door.
A little toast…
Cheers to you, Raoul. You gave me a little castle, some delightful banter, and an evening of contentment.
