Wine & DVD - Shirvington Shiraz and "The Producers"

Last night we shared a bottle of Shirvington Shiraz 2005 from McLaren Vale in Australia. This is one fantastic bottle of wine! The nose was wonderful, filled with vanilla, berries and a hint of spice. The palate was a burst of flavor, everything you'd expect from an Aussie Shiraz. It started out with an explosion of berries, and finished with a beautiful round of vanilla. Smooth, silky and sensational!

"The Producers" - this was the new version (adapted from the Broadway musical) released in 2005 starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick reprising the roles of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, originally played by Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. I think Nathan Lane did a pretty good job as Max, but (in my humble opinion) Matthew Broderick just didn't quite cut it as Leo. His portrayal seemed too...forced. Gene Wilder was naturally goofy and the role was perfect for him. I think this was a role better suited for someone like Rob Schneider. Matthew Broderick is a fine comedic actor, but he's not goofy. And the role really did call for someone of that ilk.

The original was not a musical, but the newer version was. I didn't feel the storyline called for it being a musical, the original was much better. One of my favorite characters from the original movie (LSD played by Dick Shawn) was not in the newer version, and I think he was a critical member of the cast.

The plot of the movie: Leo Bloom, an accountant, discovers an error in Max Bialystock's books from the production of his last play, which flopped. It turns out he raised more money than it cost to produce the play. Leo offhandedly states that you could theoretically make more money from a flop than from a hit, if you were corrupt enough to do that, of course. Max jumps on the idea and enlists Leo as his co-producer/co-conspirator and it goes from there. You'll have to watch it yourself to find out what happens ;-)

I will say that you absolutely HAVE to watch the gag reel on the bonus section of the DVD. I think I laughed harder at the outtakes than I did during the entire movie!

Wine & DVD - Bleasdale Shiraz and "Donnie Darko"

Bleasdale Shiraz Reserve 2003 - from Langhorne Creek in Australia. This shiraz has aromas of dark fruits, spices and a little bit of tar/asphalt. The palate is rich with dark fruits (plums, blackberries, raspberries) and a hint of vanilla. Quite a lengthy finish. Full-bodied and packs a nice punch.

"Donnie Darko" - wow, talk about surreal! Released in 2001 and set in the late 80's, stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the title character. Lots of well-known names in this movie: Drew Barrymore (who was also one of the executive producers), Patrick Swayze, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Noah Wylie, Mary McDonnell, Katherine Ross.

Donnie is a disturbed high school student, prone to sleepwalking, who has visions of a creepy rabbit (this is no Harvey, folks). The rabbit, named Frank, tells him to do all sorts of destructive acts and he complies. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a very convincing psycho. His facial expressions alone gave me chills.

The visual effects were great, the soundtrack made me realize just how old I am (*sigh*), and the acting was good. I can definitely recommend this movie. But if you tend to have nightmares, watch this movie earlier in the day so you have time to shake off the freaky imagery. It's 11:15PM now and I just finished watching it. I think I'm in for a fun night :-/

Wine & DVD - Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend & "Charulata"

Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend 2006 - a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot clocking in at 15% alcohol (no wonder I was a bit loopy!). Rich, full of delicious dark fruit. Even at that level of alcohol, it was still smooth and very succulent. Great QPR. We got it on sale for $11.99 per bottle and bought a case.

"Charulata" - (in black & white) released in 1964 and set in 1870's India, it's about a young wife (Charu) whose husband is too concerned with his newspaper to give her any consideration. Her loneliness is evident and he asks his brother (in-law?) to keep her company. Can you say "love triangle"?

I have several problems, not with the movie itself, but with the production:
The DVD looked like it was copied from a poor quality videotape
The contrast was super-high making watching the film difficult, especially with subtitles
The subtitles seemed to be a poor translation of what the characters were saying. At times the subtitles lingered far too long, at other times they moved too quickly.
The sound quality was pretty bad (pops, static, etc)
As the movie progressed, the picture got darker and darker, making it difficult to distinguish who was speaking.

So it's impossible to give a good review of the film itself since we were so distracted by the poor quality.

But...we DID see a terrific Bollywood film the previous night - "Saawariya", another love triangle theme. Released in 2007, this was the first Bollywood film to be produced and released by a Hollywood production company (Columbia TriStar), and the first Indian/Bollywood film to be released on BluRay disc.

The scenes were lavish - gorgeous cinematography, rich colors. Based on Dostoevsky's "White Nights", it was a story about Ranbir Raj who meets the lovely Sakina who is waiting for the return of Imaan. The acting was wonderful, the singing and dancing were great, the costumes...wow! This film was a visual feast. I enjoyed it so much I'd like to purchase the BluRay disc so I can watch it again (and again).

Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range 2004

photo © Linda Blakely 2008

Another wine that we acquired when our store went out of business. I'm beginning to think it wasn't such a bad thing after all ;-)

This luscious Australian Syrah was given a 96 point rating by Robert Parker, stating "A superstar effort, it reveals off-the-chart richness, complexity and intensity. Floral-scented, exhibiting a distinctive minerality along with wonderful blackberry and cassis fruit, and a hint of wood. The mid-palate and finish are both long, textured and intense. It needs 2-3 years of bottle age and should keep for a minimum of 2 decades."

My take on it: "Dayum!!!" I think that says it all :-D

Gibson Old Vine Collection Grenache 2003

photo © Linda Blakely 2008

This wine was one of the many bottles that were not sold when we went out of business last June and were forced to bring it home (can you hear the melodramatic violins playing?). Such a hardship!

This Grenache had a lovely garnet color. On the nose I got flowers and spices. When the wine was first poured I got lots of cherry candy on the palate, along with cinnamon and allspice. After the wine had opened up it was all about the spices, no candy at all. It was ample-bodied with a nice finish. Very good acidity, well-balanced with mouth-puckering tannins.

Quite yummy!

Wild Duck Creek Shiraz Springflat 2003

photo © Linda Blakely 2008

Those of you who are familiar with my tastes know that I love a good Australian Shiraz. That's why I think this one is pure bliss in a bottle! Deep, dark red-violet in color. Loads of fruit with notes of eucalyptus. Jammy fruit (can you say "blackberry"?) on the palate, full in body with a lengthy finish. Good acidity, mouth-watering. Strong, but not overpowering, tannins. In a word...delicious!

Clarendon Hills Syrah Astralis 2003

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

Last night Tom and I and a good friend went out for dinner. We brought along with us a bottle of Clarendon Hills Syrah Astralis 2003, one of the high-priced wines we were unable to sell when our store closed. This wine received a 99 point rating by Robert Parker, stating "It’s hard to believe the 2003 Syrah Astralis Vineyard could be better, but it offers riveting richness, intensity, purity, and equilibrium. Structurally, it is similar to the Piggott Range, revealing abundant amounts of sweet, ripe tannin, and huge extract, richness, and depth. Meant for true connoisseurs who are willing to forget it for 5-8 years, it represents what Roman Bratasiuk and Clarendon Hills do so well ... show respect for the great traditions of France, but recognize the extraordinary raw materials that emerge from old vines planted in McLaren Vale. This fabulous wine offers both power and elegance, and showcases the extraordinary talent of Roman Bratasiuk." This was wonderfully balanced and quite delicious! Worth the 99 points? You bet! Worth the triple digits it retails for? Well, let's just say we would never have spent that much for a bottle of wine. We're not ones to cellar wines for many years. We like to drink them now. Why wait?

Thorn-Clarke Pinot Gris Terra Barossa 2006

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

This Australian Pinot Gris is delicious! It has aromas of perfumed pear drops, orange blossoms and dried herbs. The palate is medium bodied with nice rich nectarine fruit and freshly cut apples. The wine is very creamy and mouth filling, providing a perfect match to any food type, especially Asian foods. The rich sweet pear and nectarine flavors integrate with the clean acid to give the wine great length. Tom and I both enjoyed it very much, and we are extremely partial to red wines. Tom said "this is a red drinker's white", and I agree :-D

Shirvington Shiraz 2004

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

Tom and I shared this wine with some friends on Valentine's Day and let me tell you...it was SENSATIONAL! It was an inky/purple color, followed by aromas of graphite, blueberries and creme de cassis. It offered wonderful purity, plenty of stuffing, toasty espresso notes from new oak barrels, admirable intensity and a tremendous finish. Normally a wine this young would be quite tannic, but this exquisite Shiraz was as smooth as silk! After tasting it, I almost didn't want to share it with our friends ;-)

Unfortunately, the 2004 vintage is no longer available. The 2005 is in stores now. I can't wait to try that one!

K Cimicky Piping Shrike Shiraz 2005

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

Anyone who knows me well knows that I loves me some Barossa Shiraz, and this one is nothing less than spectacular! Dense, concentrated and full of jammy fruit. Lots of body and a lengthy finish. Deeeeeee-licious!

The Bitch is Back...

photo © Linda Blakely 2007

Last year our store brought in this delicious Australian Grenache. I didn't know how well it would sell, so at the time, I only brought in one case. Little did I know it would sell out in about a week's time. When I tried to order more...it was all gone. This time I brought in several cases, anticipating more sales. Yesterday when it came in, an entire case sold within 2 hours.

Last year's vintage was really good. Tasting notes: "A playful mouthful of dark cherry fruit, a bit of candied plum, touch of cinnamon and oak." I can't wait to try this vintage ;-)