We decided to celebrate this past Australia day (Jan. 26th) by brushing up on our Australian wine. As promised, here ‘s what we had to say about Jacob’s Creek Moscato, Reserve Shiraz and Wyndham Estates Bin 333 Pinot Noir.
Wyndham Estate Bin 333 Pinot Noir
We started with a glass of Pinot Noir, a blend of fruits from some of Australia’s best wine regions. You can get your hands on one of these bottles for around $8.
Our tasting notes: This was the least favorite of the bunch with little flavor and no finish. There was a lack of fruitiness and was too dry for our liking. Some of the DIA crew said they definitely weren’t fans while others said they could see themselves enjoying a glass with dinner. We’re evenly split on this one.
Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz
Next we attempted the Shiraz. This reserve blend came to us from the Barossa region of Australia and boasted notes of “rich fruitcake, and rice plumbs with black pepper and characters of ground cinnamon and sweet vanilla.” It was recommended with braised lamb or hard cheeses and goes for under $13 a bottle.
Our tasting notes: Although we were out of braised lamb we went ahead and tried it anyway. This bottle was a little more flavorful than the Pinot, but still had a very simple taste. We were hoping to get a hint of the cinnamon, pepper and vanilla but sadly our taste buds couldn’t find them. Unlike the Pinot there is a finish to this one, but not what we were expecting. Get ready to taste the alcohol, full blast.
Jacob’s Creek Moscato
We ended with the light and sparkling bottle of Moscato. This screwcap can be found for $7 a bottle at most liquor stores and if you look hard enough you may even find it for $5.99. Described as “Light and refreshing with a balance of zesty acidity and soft fruit sweetness”.
Our tasting notes: This bubbly wine was very similar to champagne, but with a much sweeter aftertaste. This was definitely the easiest to drink, but after one glass the sugar gets to be too much. Some DIA tasters described it as “girly”, saying it was too carbonated and fruity. When it came down to it the Moscato was great for a quick sip, but if you’re celebrating stick with the champagne.