It might be because it's short for "the Barossa Valley," but I'm hoping one of our Australian WoW readers will help clarify. What I can tell you (I smell a history lesson) is that Colonel William Light, South Australia's First Surveyor-General, had served with the British Army during the Spanish Peninsula War and the Aussie land reminded him of Barrosa in the Spanish Hills. The name was often misspelled on maps and it became known as the Barossa Valley.

But enough history and geography, let's get to the hooch at hand! … Oh, I mean… let us proceed to the wine review.

This great shiraz is rich in color, with thick legs that slide down the sides of the glass. The nose has spicy blackberries, black cherries, cedar, anise and mocha (a mocha that was made a bit heavy on the chocolate).

The alcohol (14%) in this wine makes itself known in the palate. Still, the fruit (cherry first, moving into a mix of raspberry and touch of cranberry), spice and wood all come through well in the mouth. The palate may not quite have what is all in the nose, but it's still a very good wine, and gives a lot more than a lot of wines costing the same or a more.

In the finish currant, earthy cherry and berry and licorice flavors linger, but not long enough. The finish is a little too short, and that is likely because of the fairly high alcohol. But, for under $20, (I found it for $12 at Cost Plus World Market), I've really no right to complain.
I really like this wine, and recommend you pick it up, so long as:

A) You're into in-yer-face reds
B) You like trying wines that are great examples of their region (this one really screams "BAROSSA!")
C) You need a wine to match a meal of barbequed anything
D) All or any of the above

Really, how can you go wrong? Pencils down, give yourself an "A" on the quiz and go get this Yalumba shiraz. Then, let's meet up at Sosa's place for some dirty dancing.

Cheers,
TSW

OK, time for another pop quiz. Close your books and take out a clean sheet of paper.

First question:

Yalumba is:
A) The Australian "forbidden dance"
B) A plant smoked by the aboriginal people of the Australian interior to get closer to the Creator
C) The oldest independent winery in Australia

If you picked "C," you're off to a good start, though I almost wish it were "A." I have dreams of Lambada dancers facing off against Yalumba dancers in a big, Solid Gold Marathon-style dance-off.

For over 150 years, Yalumba (which is actually an aboriginal word meaning "all the land around") has been making wine. It hasn't always made great wine, but it has kept at it. Today, Yalumba is making some fantastic wines, and while not all (or even most) of them are available all the land around, its new Barossa line has some impressive distribution, and impressive flavor!

Second question:

What is the Barossa?
A) A new tavern opened by baseball great Sammy Sosa
B) Portuguese for "Bare ass"
C) A valley in South Australia known (and growing in worldwide acclaim) as a premier wine region

Again, the answer is "C." Extra credit given to anyone who can explain why "the" is usually placed in front of "Barossa."