Annie Dillard once wrote:

I feel that way about wine.  If you think about it, there really is no shortage of good wines. You just have to be willing to taste a lot of them.  And, being the devoted 'tastee' that I am (the burdens I bear for you people), I promise to continue tasting, writing, and sharing stories with all of you at Thursday's wine tastings at Greenfield Liquors.

Now, this might seem like a daunting task for one woman to take on... by not to worry, I can control myself. So, now, with this new found sense of control, let us move onto the Earthworms.......I mean, Earthworks.

Earthworks Shiraz, 2006 was a huge success at our tasting!!!

However, the day leading up to the Earthworks Shiraz choice was a bit tedious. 

Keep in mind, the Earthworks Shiraz was awarded "90 pts. by the Wine Advocate"..... but my wine employer showed her dislike for this wine with a cute, albeit, upturned nose. 

Now, I trust my wine employers palette so I found myself instantly thrust onto 'Cynical Wine  Island', population 2.....(me and my wine employer for those of you living in Whitestown.)

But, in true Wine Teller fashion, I decided to trust my gut, present this wine to the public, keep my fingers crossed behind my back, and hope for the best. (kind of what I'm doing with Mr. Obama)

Let's just say that after opening this wines handy-dandy "screw cap" (loving them), I immediately caught the first boat off of 'Cynical Wine Island' and sailed forward to pour the 'Earthworks Shiraz' for the huddle masses, waiting to be served.

The aroma of this Barossa Valley Shiraz created suspense at first which then began building into a terrifying frenzy before allowing the "tastee" to smell the delicious aromas of smoke and blueberries.  The palette was similar but also brought with it rich bing cherries, bacon and a hint of nutmeg to finish. 

This is a young, dry red wine (14.5% alc).  The grapes were sourced from both young and old vines (8-50 yrs.old).  70% of the wine was fermented in the tank and 30% was aged in seasoned French oak.  The culmination of the winemakers traditional processing  coupled with minimal intervention brought a character to the Earthworks Shiraz that was both delicious and surprising.

This wine retails for under $15.00 and would make an interesting addition to the holiday table if you're looking for something new! (again, kind of like Mr. Obama)

Our wine tastings continue and should be quite exciting what with the upcoming holidays, et all.  State Street Exchange and moi will be tasting on both the Monday and Tuesday leading up to Thanksgiving to ensure that all of your holiday guests are adequately toasted.

For those relatives who cannot control themselves, just remember, the holidays are a few short weeks and will be over before you know it.  If not, also remember that Betty Ford set up a nice little center out in the desert........just in case you need a back up plan....for next year.

See you Thursday!!

Until
The Wine Tellar
A