A GREAT Shiraz

Last nite a friend of mine came over for relaxation, girlfriend chit chat, and of course some wine. We sampled a really good Shiraz by Thierry & Guy. Fat Bastard. Thierry is French and Guy is British. The back of the label states that these two are friends and this particular wine started out as an experiment in the back of Thierry's cellar.

Shiraz comes from the grape Syrah, which is a popular wine of the Northern Rhone area in France. Why these two decided to call their wine Shiraz instead of Syrah is a mystery. Shiraz is typically a name for the wines of Africa and Australia using the Syrah grape. It's a little confusing.

I must say, this is a very good wine. And the best part is it was on sale for $5.99, regularly $11.99 at my Grocer. It is full bodied, with a rich color and flavor. A combination of blackberries, licorice, and vanilla. I am always leary of wines that are deeply discounted. However, this wine will go on my list of inexpensive favorites.

Want to know more about wines? Check out The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil. This is a great book (910 pages) that breaks down the wines by country, then region, grapes, etc... Very comprehensive guide.