I have seen this wine pop op on the on-line auctions here in the USA, and no one seems to buy it.  No one I know has had it or even heard of it.  It retails for about 20 Australian dollars which is equivalent to about 15 U.S. Dollars.  I picked it up for 3 dollars per bottle at auction.

Bidgeebong Winery takes its name from the Murrumbidgee River plain, and the surrounding billabongs.  It is located in the province of New South Wales.  Bidgeebong makes wines from several vineyards in the general area.  Gundagai, where this Shiraz is from, is roughly half way between Sydney and Melbourne, in an area not widely known for wines.  Apparently, it is an "up and coming" region, so perhaps we will become more familiar with it in the future.  If this wine is a typical example of what can be produced there, I hope to see more.  This wine has won several awards in Australia, and even scored 95 points from James Halliday, the respected Australian wine critic.  For 3 bucks, how could I lose?

The wine had a nice medium ruby color, and a strong but pleasant bouquet that could easily pass for a wine from the famed Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale.  There is plenty of ripe black and red fruit on the palate, along with vibrant acidity and moderate tannin which was by no means overpowering.  The wine can be consumed without food, but would pair nicely with red meat or pasta, as is the case with most Australian Shiraz.  The wine is ready to drink now, but should hold up well for at least five more years.

If they can get this wine into our local retail stores for under 20 dollars, I would snatch it right up.

3.5 stars

 

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