Posted by johngl
Despite the fact that this site is called Alcoholian, I don’t normally chat about alcohol. But every once in a while we try and live up to our namesake and venture outside of the cooking zone.
This time, it’s about wine.
I tend to avoid wines with cutesy names (or those packaged in funky-shaped bottles, especially if they are blue). So, for years, I avoided wines with names like Goats do Roam in Villages, Fat Bastard, and Big House Red.
So, it was, with great trepidation, that I finally succumbed and purchased an Australian wine called The Ball Buster. It was $16; if I didn’t care for it, I wasn’t out much. Besides, a long time ago in a life far, far away, one of my construction crew referred to me as a ball-buster (and not in a good way — I believe it was also preceded by the F word) Somehow, it was fitting.
Here’s what Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate says about the 2007:
The Ball Buster blend has been an annual Best Buy and, even at the current asking price, the 2007 The Ball Buster is an awesome value (at least for hedonists). It is composed of 72% Shiraz, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 11% Merlot aged for 12 months in seasoned French and American oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a nose of cedar, leather, spice box, and blueberry that leaps from the glass. This is followed by a plush, full-bodied wine with gobs of flavor and superior length. This easy-to-understand effort defines the meaning of over-delivering and will do so for another four years. 92 points.
Here’s what the wine-maker says about it.
Just click the pic on the right to get a better look.
Well, what more can I add to that? This is lush, thick, and berry laden with licorice back notes. The longer it was allowed to open up, the better tasting it got. It’s easily good for a couple of years of cellaring.
A few days after we tried this, most glorious spousal unit picked up three more bottles. They’re in the reserved section of the cellar. It will be fun to try another one in a year or so. I’ll be looking forward to it.
This probably means I’ll venture out of my comfort zone again in the future, but don’t expect to ever see a wine in a blue bottle gracing these pages.
The best things in life should be shared!
Tags: Wine
