Your head may fall off…

Normally I steer clear of the heavier alcohol content wines but the other evening, doing my duty for my country and my new ‘career’ as a wine reviewer, I found myself working at my laptop and a bottle of Spier ‘Private Collection’ Stellenbosch Shiraz, 2005 from South Africa happened to be open on my right.  I enjoy South African reds.  They often have  strong nose, a bit of leg and taste good.

Unfortunately, I did not check the alcohol content (15.5% – I rarely do).  This wine didn’t just have legs.  This wine played for the Springboks in the second row, had legs of thunder and a kick to match.  A delicious wine that made me ever more amused with life until I got up to answer nature’s call.  I realised that I had been drinking when I staggered into the bathroom and saw an apparition before me, Vercingetorix mustache bristling, eyes wide and smiling.  In fact, I will confess that I was singing the chorus from The Village People’s GO WEST at this stage.

A fine wine indeed, but perhaps not a whole bottle on a modest meal of raw prawns and bean salad. Fortunately, ASDA sell it at £13.98 and I shall be buying some more very soon.

For those of you who enjoy your wine being compared to christmas cakes – I can tell you that the wine is dark red in colour, heading towards plum, lightly spiced, perhaps a bit of cinnamon and had a smooth texture and after taste.  I could not taste any leather rugby ball – but it was probably in there somewhere.

Spier Private Collection Shiraz, 2005
ASDA £13.98 (15.5% vol)

Stars: ****

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