Scoring 17 fine points on  the Dionysian scale of a possible 20, the 2015 Barosssa Valley Estate GSM has 14% alcohol, and cost about $20.

GSM stands for Grenache, Shiraz, and Mourvedre; three Rhone grapes that make the Cotes du Rhone wines. The wine opened with half an hour of air; black fruits, spices, and herbs lingered on. The wine has backbone enough to age two decades, but at just four years, it is showing well.

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The wine was sampled during a live radio broadcast of “A Table for Two,’ where my Weekend Wine Tips run. All the chefs there, said it is an excellent food wine.

All three of these grapes grow very well in the Barossa Valley of Australia and always made excellent wines.  This wine was balanced with young, but soft tannins. Remember what GSM stands for; you’ll see it a lot.  In Vino Veritas.