Hey Shiraz, Shiraz

Whatever will be, will be the winner in our latest budget wine test?

Tasters: Kathryn Bauer, Beth Bensman, Peter Burwasser, Brian Howard, Martin Levitt, Mark Metzler Sawin, Arthur Stidfole.

The versatile Shiraz grape has become a staple of the Australian wine world. The red wine it makes, at once gutsy and capable of great refinement, seems an appropriate symbol of a bustling modern nation that still likes to indulge in occasional bouts of cheerful naughtiness. Shiraz, like most Australian wines, is based on a French model. In the Rhône valley in the south of France, the grape is known as Syrah (not to be confused with Petite Syrah), as it is in California. For this tasting, eight wines were chosen, including one sample each of a Californian and French Syrah. The remaining six Shiraz are from Australia, and, except for two examples of the popular Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, all are varietals. Many of the tasters, including your host, found the overall level to be high, especially on the heels of our jug wine tasting. Here’s what we found, in order of preference.

1. Wyndham Estate Shiraz, Bin 555, ’97 ($6.99). Arthur, Kathryn and myself all ranked Bin 555 at the front, and many placed it closely behind. "Clearly made by folks who have been doing this a while," said Kathryn. "Fruity" and "a big mouthful" were echoed. Marty demurred slightly, finding it "full-bodied, but no Mae West." Brian ranked the Bin 555 second, enjoying the "fruity, funky, official wine of Volkswagen and iMac commercials." And yet the fruitiness praised by most came through as "the soda pop of the bunch" for Mark, and Beth complained of the "afterburn."

2. Lehmann Shiraz, "The Barossa," ’95 ($9.99). Marty’s "pick of the litter" was redolent of "smoke, not cigarette smoke," and a "light, but complex wine to just sip and enjoy" for Kathryn. Mark tasted a "buttery aftertaste, at first sharp, then moving to a creamy finish, like key lime pie." Still, Beth’s sensitive nose was burning from the "dust and must," and Brian ranked the "bitter, dusty, sawdusty" Barossa dead last.

3. Lindemans Padthaway Shiraz, ’96 ($11.99). Mark’s favorite was "complicated, smoky, scotch-like." Beth also gave it number one. "Grows on you like moss, smooth and warm." For my taste, this is a classic Shiraz, with bright berry flavors tinged with burnt rubber. Yes, that is a compliment. Not surprisingly, a wine with such distinctive qualities will not please everyone, and sure enough, Arthur did not relish the "musty, rubbery plum" nose, while Marty found the Lindemans "truly disgusting," recommending that you "serve it to your in-laws or your lawyer." Don’t invite me to a family picnic, Marty, or I’ll sue you.

4. Rosemount Estate Shiraz, ’98 ($8.99). This was a middling choice for most of us, except Brian, who relished the "bright full taste," which "bursts in your mouth, not unlike Pop Rocks." Mark seemed to capture the consensus when he described the Rosemount as "pleasant, like Beaver Cleaver," but I thought the medicinal finish a problem, and Marty was offended by the "mild dog flatulence, possibly poodle."

5. Rosemount Estate Shiraz Cabernet, ’98 ($5.99). This is one of the most reasonably priced and widely available Australian reds. Our team ranked it smack in the middle, with no one elated or deflated. I surmised that the blend made for a mass market taste, with the cab diluting the unique delights of the Shiraz grape. Words like smooth, gentle, mild, balanced and pleasant were affixed to this inoffensive quaff. Only Brian, ever the contrarian, differed; "Pow! Sharp, acidic, zingy."

6. McDowell Syrah (California), ’97 ($9.99). This non-Australian seemed to lack the focus of the Australian Shiraz style. "Almost schizophrenic," commented Mark, "the front and back pull hard in opposite directions, but the middle holds pleasantly." Kathryn rebelled against the "metallic, harsh taste," and Beth also found it "sharp as a tack. Wish I could write down the look on my face." Only your host rated the McDowell highly. My number two landed in my mouth as "dry, spicy and a pleasure to drink."

7. La Baume Syrah (French), ’97 ($7.49). From the land that made the Syrah grape famous, a clear disappointment. General comments ranged from sweet, watery and thin to nothing, like machine oil. But Beth and Marty both ranked the French entry as number three. "La Baume is not a bomb," said he.

8. Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz, Koonunga Hill, ’97 ($8.99). From the maker of The Grange, the most acclaimed (and expensive) of all Australian reds, came our least favorite grape juice. As with the Rosemount blend, it appears that the Cabernet addition only makes for a mushy and bland wine. Described as underwhelming, indistinct, pencil shavings and like watching a rerun.

[Note on the ratings: I graded the wines by adding up all of the scores for each wine, then refigured them on a 100-point scale — the industry standard, as popularized by Robert Parker. However, the Parker scales are absolute, while mine are strictly ratings within a given tasting. Parker rates a Shiraz, say, against all possible Shiraz, while these tastings would rate the Shiraz merely against the other wines in the tasting. Also, Parker uses higher numbers for better scores; we use lower numbers, indicating the percentage of wine left in the bottle. Here goes: Wyndham, 28 percent. Lehmann, 41 percent. Lindemans, 43 percent. Rosemount Shiraz, 50 percent. Rosemount Shiraz Cab, 52 percent. McDowell, 53 percent. LaBaume, 63 percent. Penfolds, 64 percent.]