Smokin'

Smoking ribs the old fashioned way...this needs some serious vino to complement. I found a quite cost effective foil - the Parducci, Petite Sirah, Mendocino County, 2005. Nice dark purple colour. Medium full bodied with evident tannins that are a little harsh - this is not a "soft" wine but it eats the smoky meat right up. Dried fruit flavours, mainly cherries. Quite the mouthful for the price...only $15.00. Good wine, and it's a "carbon neutral" winery to boot.
The 3 Rings, Barossa Shiraz, 2006 is a bit of an enigma. On the back label it states "a donkey could make good wine from these Barossa grapes", so this wine had better be good! It's a creamy textured effort with rich blackberries. At 15% alcohol it comes through a little hot on the finish. Ultimately it's a bit too sweet and kirsch-like. Good if you like the style, overbearing if you don't. $24.

From Portugul comes the D. Fuas, Beiras Reserva, 2001. An impressively dark wine with a clay-like nose. Medium bodied, old world earthy with a green, vegetal flavour profile. A little sour on the back end - sour cherries. Good tannin structure, puckering and needs the meat. First 12% alc/vol wine I've had in a few months - I thought they'd stopped making it! OK wine, priced appropriately at $13.

Cheers!!