Price: $8
Maker: Golden Kaan, a Wine of the Western Cape, South Africa, and joint venture of KWV International and Racke
Varietal: Shiraz
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Alcohol: 13.5%
Our Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Golden Kaan Shiraz 2003 comes in an elegant bottle with gold trim and a gold graphic of the African continent. The bottle may be a bit more pretentious than the wine itself, which leads with a spicy mix of berries and licorice in the nose. The flavor is straightforward and simple juicy berries, modest oak, and peppery spice in the finish. This isn’t an amazing Shiraz, but its general juiciness and approachability make it a fine choice for general entertaining or enjoying on a lazy Sunday on the patio. We think this Golden Kaan wine reminded us more of a typical Australian Shiraz with its fruity, juicy flavor, than some of the South African wines we’ve tried that lean more toward the mineral and oak end of the spectrum.
The Golden Kaan website notes that the 2004 version of this Shiraz received a BEST BUY from Wine Enthusiast with 83 points. Their site features a recipe for ostrich, definitely not one of your everyday pairings… So, if you’re going to throw a really BIG bird on the barbie, match it up with this wine.