Australia is justly famous for its fruity, bold shiraz of which Miss Sachi and I are keen customers. We generally stay away from cabernet sauvignon because it is, well, a bit boring, at least at our price point. Likewise, merlot is not the first thing we pick off the liquor store shelf. Happily, Sommerton has brought you the best of each.
Few Australian reds are blends, even fewer whites are, as the Aussie consumer is more used to choosing by flavour and blends are seen as perhaps a little low class. Like, if you can’t get it right with one grape, cover it up with a blend. This, needles to say, is bullshit. Reds are traditionally blended in Europe and single-variety marketing is a new-world wine thing. That said, by carful application one can get a decent red from inferior components.
Thus we pull the cork on Sommerton’s 2022 blend, or rather, unscrew the cap. At Bt500 from Villa it’s at the top of cheap-red territory but, depending on what you like, it’s punching above its weight. Our blend is a lovely light ruby colour and slips over the tongue like an over-polite but entertaining guest. It has a tangy start and mild fruit middle with strong current notes. Sachi says she tastes strawberries but she must be drunk or something. Not much aftertaste and very mild on the tannins. The overall impression is “Not remarkable, but I could dink a whole bottle of this!”
I don’t think you’re going to impress your dinner guests with it but you’ll find yourself opening the next bottle with dispatch. A good daily drinker and a price to match. We will probably buy it again as a reliable standby.