Value Roos Rule

Yellow Tail stands out in a crowded wine store. The colorful kangaroo leaps across eye-catching labels that utilize bold colors in striking contrast against black lettering. Launched in 2000 to fill a very specific value-oriented need in the American wine market, Yellow Tail has become the number one imported wine in the US and one of my very favorite best buy wines.

I discovered the leaping roo in Spring of 2002 when I worked at a local liquor store. The Cabernet was one of the top ten best selling wines in the store that year and I was personally converted although Cabernet is not a grape that I normally gravitate to, preferring Shiraz and Australian red blends. I recall leaving a bottle of the Cabernet as a Christmas gift for my vacationing landlord and then sneaking back into his house before he returned to take it back for myself. (I'm sure I eventually replaced it. With something else.) I believe the Shiraz-Cabernet was another personal favorite over the long, cold, snowy Southwestern Colorado Winter of 2002 and 2003.

One of my favorite things about wine is the variation in character from vintage to vintage and Yellow Tail is no exception. I love that I never know which of the bottlings will be my personal favorite for the year until I taste them all in fairly rapid succession. Earlier this Fall when the air turned crisp and it was The Time of the Year to Start Drinking Reds Again, I was browsing in a liquor store and came upon the Yellow Tail 2005 Shiraz-Grenache. Who could resist that hot pink and black label? Who would not leap at the chance to taste a new product that sounded like a very promising blend of 80% Shiraz and 20% Grenache? It became my house wine for Fall/Winter/early Spring, '05 - '06. In the selfless spirit of Wine Whisperer service, I sampled the Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, and the Shiraz-Cabernet just to be sure I could proclaim my choice so decisively. I took two of the handy purse size (1.5 liter) bottles of Shiraz-Grenache to Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's. Though a purist Yellow Tail Shiraz fan, she was converted.

In my mouth the 2005 Yellow Tail Shiraz-Grenache is all about semi-sweet raspberry chocolate. Smooth on the palate with just the right balance between the tart berry jammy fruit acids and the slightly sweet chocolate/spice aftertaste. The tannins are mild and it lingers a moment with a lovely, medium-bodied finish. I have yet to tire of this selection and I've been drinking it for months. An open 1.5 liter bottle stays decent for up to three days on the North side of the kitchen counter and averages $15.

Mountain life was rolling along wonderfully one day last Fall. I was secure in the knowledge that I had a couple of glasses of the Shiraz-Grenache left at home for sipping by the fire but I thought I might want a white wine for the baking of chicken breasts. I wandered into the liquor store not knowing what I'd walk out with. I am not overly-fond of overly-oaked Chardonnays, from any wine growing region. I thought I might grab a bottle of the Yellow Tail Chardonnay, recalling it to be relatively palatable, but I walked out with the 2005 Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio with the gorgeous green label. Pinot Grigios are an "iffy" wine choice for me. While I demand assertive acids and fruit-driven, lively and zesty characteristics in my white wines, Pinot Grigios often cause an acid-reflux-like reaction in my delicate esophagus that feels something like vomitting up unsweetened grapefruit juice.

OMIGOD. The wine danced across my mouth and exploded into song. I e-mailed a wine-loving friend in New York: "Twice the fruit (citrus and sweet stone) and half the grapefruit seed acid reflux of most Pinot Grigios. You will love this wine. That is no guess. It's got the peach and pear intensity of a Riesling but the citrus-sharp fizz and bite of lime, much like a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Australia."

Both of these wines are food friendly to the max. My food pairing motto is usually "Drink what you love, the food will follow." I pair the Shiraz-Grenache with anything and everything and have yet to regret it. I also love this wine before and after dinner -- it is just that smooth all alone. The Pinot Grigio has the crisp acid structure to compliment a wide array of dishes including: grilled and cream-sauced seafood and poultry; Alfredo, Carbonara and pesto pastas; Thai and Chinese selections.

Honorable Aussie Mentions

These two Shiraz offerings also hail from South Eastern Australia and while lighter in body and lacking the complexity of the Yellow Tail products they are very decent food wines for the buck:

Little Penguin Shiraz 2004

I had read so much great press about this wine in both print and online reviews that I figured it'd be something I'd flip over. I figured wrong. Upon first tasting I found the wine to be thin and lacking in fruit. I got confused. And then I got hungry. And then I had some cheese and a Caesar salad. And then I realized that this is just one of those wines that needs food to really shine. Food coaxes the cherry/berry fruits to reveal themselves more fully and richly, and while it's still a bit underwhelming, you probably won't regret the $8 investment.

Peace Family Vineyard Shiraz 2004

Won't knock your socks off, but for under $8 it won't make you regret the purchase either. I would have preferred more concentration in the fruit department, but it was nicely balanced, if a bit delicate. A wine for sipping before dinner and a nice accompaniment to casual food. Like the Little Penguin Shiraz this is a great bottle to bring along to a potluck or picnic as it's sure to please, or at least not offend, many in the group.