INSIDER'S PICK: 2018 BABYLON'S PEAK SHIRAZ PAARDEBERG $17.99

At a time like this, it's pretty much impossible to be 'normal'. But it is important to try and keep what you can as close to normal as you can while you can. Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

The Paardeberg Mountain range sit along the borders of the Paarl and Swartland regions of South Africa. Babylon's Peak Winery occupies one of the highest altitudes for vineyards on the Swartland side of the mountains, which gives them uniquely rough porous limestone soils as well as a cooler wind-swept climate than the rest of the region. This provides their Rhone varietal wines a leaner, more elegant side that isn't so heavy and dependent on sweeter fruits. Not quite a replacement for a Northern Rhone wine, but definitely invites comparison. Deep and dark in color, it doesn't lack for impact on the nose with lots of currants and black fruits, but also hints of dark flowers, and peppery meats, more savory before the sweet. The palate is equally impactful, but with more polished textures and fine tannins than thick mouthfilling extraction. Elegant, lengthy dark fruits and savory tones, even a bit of acidity that brings out pops of higher toned blue fruits lingering on the finish. Would probably put this closer to the Rhone side of the variety (even though they chose to call it Shiraz like the Aussies do), but any fan of Syrah/Shiraz should give this great value a whirl.

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