Oliverhill, Jimmy Selection Shiraz, 2006, McLaren Vale, Australia

I picked this up at a nice little tasting at the Waikiki Wine Closet in Honolulu.  It’s a small shop but has a great selection of mostly higher end new world wines.  This tough Aussie has a deep purple opacity and a lot going on in the nose.  I got polished leather, sweet molasses, jalapeno pepper jelly, and a fair amount of heat.  It’s a medium to full-bodied wine that does a good job coating the pallet.  The mid-thirty dollar price-point pushes it outside of the twenty-something dollar sweet spot I look for in Australian Shiraz.  However, the Oliver Hill has a completeness and seamless mid-pallet that makes it shine more than your typical Pillar Box Red.  The flavor profile is dominated by bright strawberry and rasberry fruit and has a nice tarry grip on the front end.  It has a nice touch of acidity and long finish.  Maybe just a little too sweet to be one of my favorite favorites but the yumminess factor is undeniable.  Overall, a real crowd-pleaser that is sure to turn your teeth purple on a cold night