It arrived today. The famous case of wine from the California Wine Hiker. One week after winning the award I have 12 fabulous bottles of wine to share with you all!

I know you would like to know what the inventory consists of. I know because if I were you I would want to know!

Before I reveal what this great case of wine consists of I want to whet your palate a bit. I know that wine ratings aren’t everything but this is, after all, a wine review blog and it’s worth noting that not a single rated bottle of wine in this case came in less than 90. There is one bottle that is not rated but after seeing everything else in the case I thoroughly trust the Wine Hiker.

Additionally, It seems to me that Russ put a lot of thought into choosing each bottle. I can’t say enough how appreciative I am of not only the wine but the thought that went into it. From Malbec to Muscat and Rose to G.A.M. the list doesn’t disappoint!

Now, let met pimp another site for just one second as I tell you that I have compiled the list of wines at wine.com. They allow you to create multiple wine lists, wish lists, etc. and also tell you the rating of each wine from various reviewers, whether or not it is an organic wine, a collectible wine and lots of other cool features as well.

So, without listing each wine here and without further adieu here’s the list of awarded wines from the Wine Hiker. Incidentally, each wine will be reviewed here!

Cork:Authentic
Name: Canonbah Bridge Drought Reserve Shiraz
Type: Shiraz
Vintage: 2003
Region: Western Plains
Country: Australia
Producer: Canonbah Bridge
Price: ~$30.00
Purchased at: Vino Volo
Date: 05/12/07
Served With: Grilled chicken, roasted asparagus, sweet potato and Rice-a-Roni
Appearance: Smoke on the Water! Deep Purple, nice legs
Aroma: Musty, allspice, oak?
Taste: Wow! Complex, balanced, soft tannins, fits nicely on the palate, brooding!
Comments: Can I change my rating on all previous wines? Maybe I need a new rating scale? Maybe I just need to give this fabulous wine a score of 11 on my 10-point scale. Whatever the case make no mistake that this wine is head and shoulders above anything previously reviewed on this site. The only other wine that might come close is the Le Volte but that was so early on in my wine life that I’m not even sure it merits comparison.

When I think of drinking fine wines this wine is what I wish all wines could taste like. Unfortunately, the price of this wine, even at some of the more discounted online sites, doesn’t allow it to fit into either of my top review categories <$11 or <$25. In the past I would say that I couldn’t tell the difference between a $10 bottle of wine and a $100 bottle of wine or anything in between for that matter. I am afraid, however, that I my weekly wine budget will now increase as I search for more wines that are as satisfying as this one. This bottle was purchased by a friend of mine at a Vino Volo in the Sacramento airport on her way home from a visit to the Lodi area. The wine was recommended by the store clerk and he didn’t get it wrong.

I am compelled to rate this wine a 9 even though it is the best wine I have tasted to date. I must leave room for a better wine which I’m sure exists but will I ever taste it?

This wine shall forever be referred to as the “Spectacular Shiraz”.

Cork: Authentic
Name: Wyndham Estates Bin 555 Shiraz
Type: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2003
Region: Hunter Valley
Country: Australia
Producer: Wyndham Estates
Price: 8.99
Purchased at: D & B Wine & Liquor
Date: 06/09/2007
Served With: Homemade Cheese & Sausage Pizza
Appearance: Deep, dark, rich purple
Aroma: Spicy, ripe red fruits
Taste: Slightly sweet compared to most cabs I drink, plummy, full-bodied with a peppery finish.
Comments: I first had this wine at a local restaurant called Bin 555, imagine that. I like this wine on occasion as it offers a change-up from the usual cabs I drink on a weekly basis. To my palate its sweeter and fuller compared to some other choices in the same varietal. The peppery finish kills the sweetness at the end and makes easy to want the next drink. It is a bit richer than most of the other wines I drink and therefore I don’t drink it in excess. Hah! Who am I kidding! I’ll drink it all night long, every night of the week if its there!

If you’re looking to buy some of this wine look here.

For another brief review of Bin 555 Shiraz on about.com it only takes a second to read it.

A much more humorous review of the same Wyndham Estates Bin 555 Shiraz from 2002 look here. Gotta love this site just because of the name!