Philly Wine Finder

Penfolds Shiraz St Henri 2005

Wine Spectator ranked this 24 out of their best 100 wines of 2009 and gave it 95 points. The 750ML bottle is listed at $57.99 at Total Wine in Cherry Hill; this 375ML at the PLCB is $14.99. Wine Spectator lists the drinking window as 2011-2020. It is highly rated on CellarTracker as well.

If you like the big blackberry and plum style of Aussie Shiraz, this is a phenomenal deal. Also an inexpensive chance to try a highly rated wine. Since it's a 375 bottle, it can be hard to find in the stores. Be sure to bring the code# and also pay attention to the year and make sure you buy the 2005.

We read and hear a lot about how dreadful it is for Pennyslvanians to have put up with the horrors of a state controlled liquor monopoly and how much better a privatized system would be.  Is it really that horrible to be able to get a highly rated wine for half price? The PLCB brings in many great deals on wine, this is only one dramatic example. 

 

Penfolds Shiraz St Henri 2005
Chairman's Selection^TM
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 9908
Size: 375ML
Price: $14.99
Compare to prices on wine-searcher.com (750ML):  (Avg $61, Min $50, Max $73)
Availability in Pennsylvania:

In Wine & Spirits stores

Region:    Australia > South Australia
Grape Varieties:     Shiraz 90%
Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Alcohol Content:    14%

PAWineTalk

CellarTracker

R Wines Shiraz First Class 2007 and Boca Burgers

As we wrote about last March, this was one of the great PLCB deals of the year, as R Wines went out of business and unloaded their inventory on our PA state owned monopoly stores.

We unscrewed another bottle with boca burgers last night, and this juice is still good, although it doesn't seem to have gotten any better, and we suspect it could be on a downward trajectory. There was a lot of sediment in the bottle.  If you have some on hand it could make a good hurricane wine.

If you didn't grab any at the time, there's none left. But now PLCB is selling R Wines Boarding Pass (different wine from the First Class)  in a 187 ML bottle for $3.99.  If we can get our act together we will pick up a bottle and compare it to the First Class.

R Wines Shiraz First Class 2007
Chairman's Selection
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 14279
Size: 750ML
Price: $9.99
Region:    Australia > South Australia
15.5% alcohol

PAWineTalk

CellarTracker

Henry's Drive Shiraz 2006

We bought this at the October 2010 Clearance Sale for $11.99, down from $19.99. We drank it down soon after and enjoyed it then, but we're enjoying it even more now. Dark inky color, aromas of dark fruit filled the entire room when we opened it, lush blueberries filled our mouths when we tasted it. Well balanced, full-bodied, smooth finish.

If you were lucky enough to get some of this when it was around, drink it now. Goes well with spicy grilled meats.

Henry's Drive Shiraz Padthaway, Australia 2006
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 20872
Size: 750ML
Price: Was 19.99 Now 11.99

Region:    Australia > South Australia > Limestone Coast > Padthaway
Grape Variety:     Shiraz
Alcohol Content:    15%

PAWineTalk

  

 

 

Two Hands Shiraz Coach House Block 2006

This wine is like a Cadillac Escalade: too big, too obnoxious, too expensive, and not to our taste. Big nose, dark cherry fruit, full bodied (thick and syrupy), long finish but a harsh edge of hot alcohol on the finish as well. This was 95 points Wine Spectator, so apparently this kind of flavor profile is popular with the critics at the moment. We don't really understand it, but we don't understand why anyone would drive an Escalade either. 

Sort of similar but a lot cheaper is Sogrape Vinhos Callabriga Douro.

Two Hands Shiraz Coach House Block 2006
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 27484
Size: 750ML
Price: $49.99
Region:    Australia > South Australia > Barossa > Barossa Valley
Grape Variety:     Shiraz
Alcohol Content:    16.5%

PAWineTalk

Great Buy on Aussie Shiraz R Wines First Class 2007

If we weren't knocked on our butt by the 15.5% alcohol we'd be down at the store buying some more of this.

According to the chatter on PAWineTalk, R Wines went out of business recently and a bunch of this wine is now available in PA. Dark, inky color, fruity but not a fruit bomb, fresh tasting, spicy finish. Great mouthfeel, full bodied but not syrupy.  They've got some kind of airline idea going on with the label, not sure what that's about. Original retail on this was $30, 90 points Wine Advocate, 88 Wine Spectator.  Highly rated on CellarTracker, even at the $30 price. Only 4,400 cases made.

Outstanding buy at $9.99, thanks to Josh for the heads up.

R Wines Shiraz First Class 2007
Chairman's Selection
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 14279
Size: 750ML
Price: $9.99
Region:    Australia > South Australia
15.5% alcohol

PAWineTalk

CellarTracker

Like and Like Pairings: Shiraz and Chili; Moscato and Baklava

One principle of food and wine pairing is to pair like food with like wine.  This worked out well for us last night as we paired spicy Chili with spicy Henry's Drive Shiraz and sweet Baklava with sweet Villa Baglio Moscato D'Asti.

We picked up Henry's Drive Shiraz for $11.99 at the PLCB clearance sale back in October.  It was jammy up front and spicy peppery on the finish and a good match for our chili.  This wine received high ratings on CellarTracker and averages $34 on WineSearcher.  Essentially sold out,  PLCB Product Search still shows a few bottles here and there, but we doubt this is accurate. If you are lucky enough to see a bottle, snag it.

We previously brought Villa Baglio Moscato to a cake party, also in October. We liked it then and we liked it again last night.  Light and sweet, refreshing, perfect for Baklava.  Would also work with holiday cookies and other treats.  Still some available in Center City.

Henry's Drive Shiraz Padthaway, Australia 2006
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 20872
Size: 750ML
Price: Was 19.99 Now 11.99

PA WineTalk

CellarTracker  - highly rated, average price $22.50

WineSearcher - average price $34

• Code: 22677
• Description: Villa Baglio Moscato di Asti 2009
• Size: 750 ML
• Price: $10.99

PLCB Product Search

CellarTracker

WineSearcher - no matches found

 

 

Blind Tasting Shiraz

Our blind tasting continued with Shiraz at unequal price points:

2007 Two Hands Shiraz Lily's Garden PLCB Code 27445 $28.99
CellarTracker
PAWineTalk

2007 Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz $15.00
CellarTracker

2007 Macari Syrah $18
CellarTracker

No one was fooled here, all of our 8 blind tasters agreed that one of the wines was clearly more complex than the others on the nose, the palate and the finish, this was the Two Hands. The Cimicky Trumps was at first deemed too fruity and jammy and very unShriazlike, but later it opened up and exhibited the classic Shriraz spiciness. The Macari Syrah was judged to be respectable and sufficiently peppery.

The Two Hands was a great example of Aussie Shiraz: big nose of dark fruit, luscious blackberry on the front and secondary flavors of spice box and mocha. Very full bodied, almost syrupy. At $28.99 this is a great PLCB value: it sells for up to $60 on winesearcher.com. As of now there are a number of bottles of this available in Philadelphia stores, we suggest you grab some very quickly before it goes.  

PLCB haters face it: the program offers some great wines at incredible prices.

Franklin Mills 149 units
1218 Chestnut 160 units
1913 Chestnut 138 units