Three Rings Shiraz 2013 (about $17)

About the Wine:  This is a Shiraz from Barossa, a region of Australia that, in my experience, often produces wines of great depth and concentration.  The best wines from this region have the richness and mineral notes that one might associate with something from the Northern Rhone.


About THIS Wine:  It is opaque in the glass with a dark red rim.  The nose is not overly generous, and I would not expect it to be from such a young red.  Smoke and red fruit notes do come through with time.  A strange and not entirely pleasant green note is strong on the palate.  It is not a flaw per se but it does not reflect the rich fruit experience that I look for in members of the Syrah family.  The fruit does come through on the finish, as does a fair amount of tannin and alcohol.  I didn't check the label before tasting.  This beast hits a 15.4% alcohol.


Drinking This Wine:  It's hard to pair something that alcoholic with food.  It might help clear up a sinus infection, though.


Overall Impression:  This is very bombastic wine with too much alcohol and too little fruit.  It's not a question of price.  It would be hard to recommend it at any price,