- Silverstone's previous recommendations

Stonehaven Limestone Shiraz 2001

I used to sit in school and listen as the teacher droned on and on and on about some obscure king who invaded another king's country and then came back and baked a cake or invented the solar system or was it the first television set?? Well, it's obvious I wasn't really paying close attention. Serious boredom set in round about Kindergarten and lasted through the Industrial Revolution. I've been working for 35 years and haven't once established how drawing a right angled triangle or dissecting a frog benefits my weekly (or perhaps that's weakly....didn't pay attention in grammar classes either) income.

I forget exactly who discovered America, although

if I remember correctly it was John Wayne or Robert Mitchum (who both, coincidentally, had a strong influence on the Wild West and also helped the allies defeat the Nazis). I discovered America by handing in an airline ticket and being escorted to an uncomfortable seat, and served a delightful repast of peanuts and coke. Thankfully, the airline is now part of this country's history and long gone.

I began my true education when I left school and joined the university of life - a place which is best described as a TV reality show with mostly unsavory, unpleasant experiences and very few commercials. Once you join "Life" The Reality

Show, your first instinct is to want to be back in school and be bored for as long as possible. The most enjoyable discovery I made when I joined the world outside of academia, was the existence - thank goodness - of those fun loving, cynical, warm and hospitable planet dwellers known as Aussies.

Since I slept through history classes, I was blissfully unaware of any animosity the Yanks and the Aussies may have harbored toward the Limeys, whose checkered past as far as the Colonials were concerned left much to be desired. So I've lived very happily amongst both one time adversaries of the British Islands, and thanks to

the natives of both nations my life has been relatively content. The Aussies introduced me to the nectar from their vast Island three decades ago and I'm still intoxicated by the magical elixir their wineries produce year after year.

Since I shy away from academic studies, I'm not going to subject you to the technical drivel about this wine. This exquisite Shiraz is produced by Stonehaven, on the Limestone Coast, in the southeastern corner of South Australia. Although I should mention that Stonehaven's name is derived from the town in Scotland where the settlers to this region in the land DownUnder began their voyage of discovery. So all you really need to

know about this wine is that it's enormous yummy (I forget...is that an adjective?). The color is deep red with purple tinges. The bouquet hints of plums, dark berries, white pepper, and spice. And the flavor is full, sweet, soft, rich, and oozing with berries and spice. All the ingredients you need to have a good education in wine - from the bottle and not from the classroom! Cheers!

REGION South Eastern Australia

GRAPES 100% Shiraz

PRICE (approx) $14.99

- Silverstone's previous recommendations