The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 is a wine I found on sale for $8.99; its list price is $30. The sale may still be on. Follow this link for more information.
The Story
Saldo is a brand from the Prisoner Wine Company, founded by renowned winemaker Dave Phinney. Dave was the winemaker for The Prisoner and for Oren Swift. The Prisoner sold out every year, and they threw release parties for every new vintage.
The Prisoner Wine Company was sold to Constellation Brands for several 100 million dollars. Oren Swift was sold to E & J Gallo, and Dave Phinney remained the winemaker for Oren Swift.
The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 was sourced from top vineyards in South Australia, including Barossa, the Clare Valley, and the Limestone Coast.
Constellation Brands recently sold off its more value-priced wine portfolio, but kept the Prisoner. They have rather meager production notes for their wines, especially considering the price of the wine.
The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 is 95% Shiraz and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and that is the extent of the information.
The alcohol content is 15% which reflects the temperatures in the vineyards.
Dave Phinney’s original wines were big, bold, fruit-forward, but still somehow balanced; this Shiraz should to in the same vein.
The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 Tasting Notes
The color is inky; from some angles, it looks black. The nose is blackberry, blueberry, light herbs, oak spice, raspberry, and brown sugar. The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 has a thick mouthfeel and an almost fortified wine flavor.
This Shiraz tastes like extracted cassis, mocha, black licorice, strawberry, faint vanilla, pomegranate, herbs, and spice. The tannins are well integrated, and the acidity is balanced.
This is an intense wine.
The Summary
- The Saldo Australia Shiraz 2021 is a wine that may be even better in 2 or three years. In September of 2025, it is a dense wine; it could stand to open up. I had this bottle open for two hours, and it could use more.
- At the $8.99 price, which is a steal, putting the bottle away for a while or decanting it isn’t a hardship.
- This is a cool weather wine, and out on the porch in the fall with a neighbor or two would be perfect.
