I’m glad I had this bottle of Ashwood Grove Shiraz 2006 tonight.  I was registering for a work conference and discovered the hotel was fully booked.  Mrs. Grapeinabottle and I needed to find a solution to this dilemma. Wine always helps us brainstorm to a creative answer. The conference web site recommended a service that finds “overflow room for your booked conference,” but of course,  the office was closed. So we enlisted the help of an online travel agency, and a few minutes later, problem solved:  a very nice waterfront view suite at a nicer resort is now waiting for us (for less than the conference rate).

As for the wine:  this Shiraz from Ashwood Grove lives up to its tasting notes with a spicy peppery punch and mixed berry splash. I do not appreciate the mint overtones, as they claim, but maybe you will. This Australian Shiraz is a great value, as I purchased it for about $8 USD. Please see the Alliance Brands website, which is a strategic distrubution alliance of outstanding Australian and New Zealand Wines, for tasting notes.