...a bottle of wine and thou

The Stump Jump Vintage 2002

Price: $10 bottle
Type: Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedere blend
Cork: plain jane natural
Rating: 10
Purchased: World Market

Trust your friendly local winesellers. They know whereof they speak. I stopped by our new World Market Wines today hoping to find some of the oh so tasty White Shiraz we picked up on our last trip to Jungle Jim's. They didn't have any White Shiraz, but they did have a lot of the wines I've favorably reviewed here displayed on prominent endcaps. This made me feel like I was in their target demographic, so I browsed the somewhat small store feeling completely at ease.

Based on the other bottles I brought to the counter, the wine seller recommended I try The Stump Jump. I am so glad I listened!

Looking over my previous blog entries, it seems I'm partial to blends, and this is no exception. The wine is 80% Grenache, 14% Shiraz, and 6% Mourvedre. I'm starting to understand why Australia has become such a dominant force in the world wine market. The Australians are willing to try new things. They also have a lighthearted attitude which frustrates stuffy old world wine snobs. I approve.

The Stump Jump starts with a strong, fruity boquet that practically jumps out of the bottle. Remember, I like spicy foods, so strong flavors appeal to me. You don't need to stuff your nose into a glass to appreciate this wine's aroma. It comes to you.

On the tongue, it's a fantastic blend of sweet and tannic, beautifully balanced for my tastes. The balance leaves it slightly tart without drying the tongue. I taste a strong cherry flavor, but this is more like LifeSavers cherry than actual fruit. Since I love my LifeSavers, this is fine by me.

It goes well with spicy food (almost a prerequisite for my table wines). I liked it so much I had a half glass after dinner. On its own, I'd only bump it down to a 9.

This is a tasty wine. I will definitely buy it again.

posted by Chris Rachael Oseland at 7:32 PM