Razor's Edge

Name: Razor's Edge
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Shiraz/Grenache)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Australia
Region: McLaren Vale
Price: $15
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

The Razor's Edge Shiraz was one of the wines that really got me excited about wine when I first drank it last summer. Therefore, I had high expectations for this one, a blend of Shiraz and Grenache, that received a high score (91 points) from Robert Parker. I don't generally put a lot of stock in wine scores by "experts" but sometimes they help as a frame of reference. I usually get much more use out of postings by a few trusted wine bloggers. I also have never been led wrong by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal's Tastings columns.

We had this wine with a Mother's Day dinner of grilled steaks and twice baked potatoes, after the kids went to bed. I actually decanted this wine for 30-45 minutes, primarily because it's a big Australian red that could be kept for 8-10 years. I don't have enough experience with decanting to tell if it helped or not, but it definitely didn't hurt...The wine was smooth and ready to drink with a nice long finish. The taste and nose were very similar - blackberry, raspberry, cherry, with some spice and pepper. The wine paired excellently with the steaks, and was also very nice on its own after dinner. I've actually seen this wine sell for $10-12 online. I paid $15 for it and still thought it was a great value for the money.