Well, well. Mrs Sachie and I were quite taken with ‘Linedman’s Green’ Saz-Cab long ago. It’s generic green label was an agreeable draught and a frequent occupier of our wine cupboard. Sadly, it hasn’t been seen for some time as the Linedman’s brand has gone from its simple colour-coding method and expanded its offerings.
My first encounter with the red, green and blue system was their four-dollar Merlot, found in a Surf-Coast bottle shop many years ago. I was so taken with the, classic, simple label and affordable price that I bought two bottles for the price of a train ticket. I wouldn’t say that I especially enjoyed them but it was early days, so I had a few more goes, finding it at a knock-down price of three dollars in Brisbane later. The Merlot is a rough red, as evidenced by its 2016 vintage in 2019. The green, however, is top-drawer and costs seven dollars.
Since our first encounter we have sought out its equivalent, tasting various Lindeman’s Fields, Stations and Collections of Cab/Sav to no avail. Now it’s Sons’ turn.
It would be discourteous of me to speculate on the heritage of Mr Lindeman’s sons, but I would say that this one is a bit of a bastard. Straight out of the bottle into the glass it is a sour, strong red with lots of harsh edges. It has a nice nose but, as the label says, ‘rich and spicy,’ meaning its overriding sourness drowns out everything else.
Bemoaning another dud shot at our beloved green, Mrs Sachie poured her glass into mine and retired. But given a little time to breathe the more offensive aromatics eventually out-gassed and I was then enjoying a strong but heavy fruit wine. It may be the breathing time or the six beers I drank in between but the wine was starting to live up to its Bt700 price tag.
So what is this wine’s role? Other than fooling us into buying what I still think is an inferior product to the green that we bought on a weekly basis, it will go well with, or in, a single man’s Bolognese or with the robust and spicy flavours we enjoy in Asia. Don’t take it to a party as someone will pull the cork unscrew it, pour it into a glass and think you a barbarian.
This wine is well overpriced for Bangkok but would reign supreme for four our seven dollars at your local liquor barn To give full disclosure, I am a little biased as I spilt this red on my second-best wine drinking shirt, so there’s that. I’d say give it a try but there’s better brews in the same price bracket. At eight standard drinks and 13.5% it may appeal to the cognac drinkers.