2006 Shoofly Aussie Salute

Shoo, fly, don't bother me
Shoo, fly, don't bother me
Shoo, fly, don't bother me
For I belong to somebody

I have no idea where I first heard that little song, and while it's probably been 20 years since I've even thought about it, I can still remember the exact tune. There were a ton of songs, rhymes, poems, and stories that connected the Civil War generation to kids 100 years later, but I don't know how well these things are surviving today. At some point the oral tradition gets replaced by TV, radio, and the internet, and little kids might not be interested in obscure old culture that mostly revolves around death, despair, and disaster. That's what the moody teenage years are for!

Here's the 2006 Shoofly Aussie Salute from South Australia, $13, 14.5% abv. 70% Shiraz, 25% Grenache, 5% Viognier. The name of the wine is even connected to the song: an Aussie salute is a motion to flick away an annoying fly. Another solution is the Australian cork hat, which Wikipedia tells me is worn by jackaroos, swagmen, and ockers. I believe that these are some sort of marsupials. Regardless, if you have spare corks lying around and don't know what to do with them, you need look no further.

The little fly logo you can barely see here looks like one of the alien ships from Galaga*. The Shiraz black cherry and pepper is blunted somewhat by the Grenache, while the Viognier smooths it out further and provides a small floral note. It's an interesting blend; you see GSM wines from Rhone and Australia frequently, but dropping out the Mourvèdre for Viognier is an inspired choice. Will the GSV** blend catch on? I'd like to see some further experimentation here.

Stay tuned, wine fans... There are 10 bottles from New Zealand and Australia coming up next week!


*If you get the craving for some old school arcade action, you can play Galaga online. I will always associate this game with the surroundings and smells of Pizza Hut.

**Ah, the dear old GSVs. Who wouldn't love a starship named GSV Unfortunate Conflict Of Evidence, GSV Wisdom Like Silence, or GSV Just Another Victim Of The Ambient Morality?