Another Good Value Shiraz

Today I fancied trying something completely different. I had a quick look around in the cellar and came across this bottle. My friend the 'Pinot Guy' is South African and is back in South Africa at the moment. He will be glad to see that I have had some South African wine while he has been away!

Zalze, Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier, 2007, South Africa.

This wine has rich, ripe fruits and some red berry fruit too. The nose is bursting with wild berries. There is a soft roundness to the fruit. The palate takes you a bit by surprise; you still get the wild berry fruit but it's sharp and acidic. The palate is automatically bombarded with herbs (predominantly rosemary and thyme) and spicy pepper. There is some well integrated oak here too. The nose and the palate seem somewhat opposed to each other. There is a wild, rustic side to this wine - it's a bit quirky. I like it! 3.8/5 (14.5% abv) £5.99 Waitrose