The Stump Jump - Cool name, cool grapes.

The Stump Jump: Cool name, cool grapes (including one of my faves, Mourvedre), cool label... can't go wrong bringing this one to a party. A boldly cool choice especially since it tastes great.

$10.99 at Cost Plus / World Market. One of the 2 wines I tend to stock up on (the other being Pillar Box Red).

d'Arenberg
The Stump Jump
2006
McLaren Vale
Grenache 46%
Shiraz 34%
Mourvedre 20%

Do you think they played the rounding game in allocating these percents? Just wondering.

From the back label:

"Land for many of the region's old vineyards was originally cleared using the 'Stump Jump' plough, a South Australian invention which enabled the ploughshare to jump over the gnarly roots of 'mallee' Eucalyptus trees, saving valuable time and resources."

Another note: The Osborn family has been making wine since 1927 at d'Arenberg, their winery in the McLaren Vale.

Can I get a "WOOP WOOP" - yeah, it's that bad.

I should have known better, than to fall ... for the recommendations of the "other" Kevin at Sendik's.

So, there are now TWO Kevin's at Sendik's in Franklin. One gives GREAT recommendations, and the other, not so much. I'm dreading trying the rest of the case I bought when I shopped with him. And now I'm feeling doubly bad because he told the cash register lady I was his "new" favorite customer.

I should have known better because he prefaced helping me pick out some new wines with, "I'm a white wine drinker". Hmmm. Then, his big selling point was that if he was recommending a red, it means it must be really good, because he's a "white wine" drinker. Yeah, I don't think it works that way. You have to be a red wine drinker in order to recommend good reds. Someone who only likes white wine (I'm convinced) is not equipped to recommend red wines.

So, there. WOOP WOOP. Don't buy it. It's so boring. And I kept drinking it anyway. It could be something I like - because I like understated wines. But this had NO statement. Bor--ring.

WOOP WOOP
2006
Shiraz
Wine of Australia
South Eastern Australia

From the back of the label: "G'day. [omg, did they really write that?] In Australia Woop Woop means not nearby, remote even. In sourcing the fruit for this well-balanced South Australian Shiraz we went outside our normal territory to blend the best regional attributes [... blah, blah]."

Also from the back of the label... in fact, if this was the only commentary on the back, it might redeem itself:

"We went to Woop Woop to bring Woop Woop to you." Now that's funny.

$10.99 at Sendik's in Franklin

2006 Layer Cake Shiraz- C'EST PARFAIT

oh my gosh... so so good. on sale for $13.99 at Sendik's in Franklin.
so smooth. so rich. so light.
audrey, do I sound like a wine reviewer yet?

"one hundred percent pure"
shiraz
vintage 2006
barossa valley - south australia

on back of bottle ...
"my old grandfather made and enjoyed wine for 80 years. He told me the soil in which the vines lived were a layer cake. He said the wine, if properly made, was like a great layer cake, fruit, mocha and chocolate, hints of spice and rich, always rich, 'never pass up a layer cake', he would say. I have always loved those words."