d'Arenberg, McLaren Vale, The Hermit Crab 2004 Viognier Marsanne
~$16.00

You gotta love the Aussies and their blends. This blend is supposed to be the counterpart to the famous Shiraz-Grenache from the same label. I got this wine from a friend and decided to have it last night with some Thai. It didn't pair too well with dinner because it was just too big and hot. The alcohol is a whopping 14.5% and you can feel all of it. I am glad I made my notes before dinner. High alcohol wines just don't go with spicy foods.

Color: golden straw
Nose: This wine has a good amount of oak on the nose, and a sharp mineral note. Honeysuckle and orange also make a presence as the wine opens up more.
Palate: This is one of those wines that tingle on your palate when you leave it sitting there for a few seconds. While the alcohol is doing backflips on your tongue, the other thing you notice is a good amount of acidity which makes the wine a bit more refreshing to drink. The oak comes through in the finish and length is nice and long.
Overall: This wine is not really my style but I know a lot of people come into my store looking for a wine just like this. It definitely has its place on the shelf with the rest of the aussie blends.