19 Crimes- The Banished

     This wine is called The Banished, and is a non-varietal wine, made predominantly with Shiraz grapes with finishes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. The place of origin is the South Eastern Region of Australia. The vintage year is 2019. The cost usually $15 but because it was featured at a tasting at Vintage Cellar, it was on sale for $6.95.

    Vintage Cellar had this to say about the wine: "Nose- Intense lifted dark chocolate and vanilla aromatics balanced with blackberry and plum fruits; Palate- Full and round on the palate with a distinct sweetness making the wine rich and mouth coating. The dark chocolate and vanilla aromatics carry through on the palate and compliment subtle flavors of cloves and cinnamon spice."

    Wine Folly says that Syrah, or Shiraz grapes are "rich, powerful and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. It's the most planted grape of Australia, where it's called Shiraz. Darker meats and exotic spices bring out the fruit notes of Syrah. Try it with lamb shawarma, gyros, Asian five-spice pork, and Indian tandoori." (pg. 172) It should be served in a red glass at 60-68*F (room temperature), decanted 60+ minutes, and spend about 5-15 years in the cellar.

    I did not have this wine with any food, as I tried it at a tasting at Vintage Cellar. It has a strong nose of vanilla, and slightly of berries like blackberries and raspberries. The taste was slightly dry, a little bitter and doesn't actually taste like the scent of berries it had at all, mostly like grapes and vanilla. However, it did have an aftertaste of cocoa powder bitterness. It was not sweet or acidic at all.

    In conclusion, this wine was okay, I give it a 5/10 for its interesting cocoa powder flavors and blackberry notes (I really like blackberries and wish it tasted more of them).