Tasting Notes

Better Homes and Gardens Wine Club Panelist Richard Swearinger enjoys wines with personality, and Golden Orb’s Shiraz hit the mark. Hailing from Australia, where winemakers produce many a lush, full style of Shiraz, this bottle brings gobs of blackcurrant, cherry, white pepper, and a light minerally overlay that’s typical of the Langhorne Creek region. A dose of acidity keeps the fruit in check, while the sweet vanilla and new oak touches add even more character. Drink now through 2009.

Winery Story

In Queensland, a large, yellow spider weaves a golden-threaded web from which it gets its name: The Golden Orb . While a spider is an unlikely inspiration for a wine label, the Golden Orb is a respected native animal; the Aboriginal people of Australia harvest the spider’s sticky web—which is strong enough to capture small birds—for ritual use.

Made with grapes from Langhorne Creek, Golden Orb’s Shiraz is powerful and structured, with flavors baked in under that other golden orb, the Australian sun. About a one-hour drive from Adelaide in South Australia, Langhorne Creek is one of Australia’s oldest and fastest-growing wine grape districts. Vineyards were first planted here in 1860s. Until recently, it was considered a grower’s district (known for grape production, not wine making); however, in the 1990s, the area began to turn heads in the wine world, and rapid expansion of the district followed. Golden Orb Shiraz is made by one of the oldest family wineries in the area.