Cat Amongst the Pigeons- Nine Lives Shiraz 2009

So out of curiosity, I bought this wine yesterday. I had heard from a few different people that this wine ws a winner. It is from the Barossa Valley and won a silver medal at the Adelaide wine show in 2010. The wine is actually from Rosedale Wines, which is based in the Barossa Valley. Rosedale Wines is a huge commercial winery that produces several different types of reds but under various, different looking labels. I have had my disappointments with big commercial wines before but hey, its all part of the job.

I was pleasantly suprised by this wine. For a shiraz, it was very light and fruity. Virtually no oak at all. The tannins are very light. I was a bit dissappointed that the wine didnt last well in the bottle over night. Some wines, if you are lucky, taste just as good the next day. I generally see wines last a bit over 24 hours after you open them. Some wines oxidize more slowly or have taste profiles that are complimented by the oxidization taste. Wines that are more balanced between fruit and oak, and wines that are heavier and more rich are like that. This wine, being almost completely fruit and lighter than air did not respond as well to the oxidization that took place over night. No that it was undrinkable, but it certainly didnt taste as good as the night before.
Overall, I would recommend it to someone who is just looking to try a South Australian Red. It is light and easy to drink. A little one dimentional, but thats ok. Its nothing special, but you tend to find that quality in red wines like this that are mass produced by huge commercial wineries (especially at this price point). It wont disappoint the average wine-goer. At $19.99 a bottle, its cheap enough to give it a try.

I havent mentioned bottle design in any of my posts before, but at this stage I feel like it is something to consider. Bottle design is very important to a winemaker. Its the shape of the glass, and colors on the label, and the color and font of the label that make wines stand out to the inexperienced wine drinker. I have to admit, I am a little biased when it comes to labels. I find a lot of bottles from California are so loud and colorful, they seem like they are trying to cover up an inferior wine. Also the name of the wine can be a bit overdone as well. Apothic Red, Blasted Church, and Evil wines are perfect example of names, and/or artwork that is overdone. Simple, classy labels, glued to a tall dark bottle are what appeal to me.
The Cat Amongst the Pigeons wine bottle is a little bit on the cute side. Im not crazy about the name. The name is trying to say to much, and the label is a bit busy. Also, naming the wine nine lives shiraz is a little too cute. I dont mean to come off as cynical or a downer, but in my opinion flashy bottles like this are what attract the people who know nothing about wine. The smart wine drinker would know better. Or better yet, wouldnt judge a wine by its bottle. I guess I am not a pure wine critic.
Anyway, after that tangent, I would recommend it. Decent wine at a price that my wife wont kill me for buying. If you like this one, I would recommend the Petaringa Understudy, and the Undercover. Both are excellent wines, no cute labels, and produced by a smaller winery that spends a bit more time considering the final product in the bottle. They are a bit more money, but are certainly worth it.

Until next time...