Great with bacon and eggs?

We already covered sparkling rosé for the holidays, but don’t forget about sparkling red.

To be honest, I usually can’t stand the stuff.  Sure, I’ve had a quaffable Lambrusco before, but most of the sparkling Malbec and Shiraz I’ve sampled have been too cloying or too heavy or simply out of balance.  That all changed tonight.

Majella's 2005 Sparkling Shiraz

We had a great lineup for our sparkling wine class – Cava, Prosecco, Deutscher Sekt, Rosé Champagne and more, but this sparkling Shiraz was the surprise hit.  100% Shiraz from the Coonawarra region of South Australia and while clocking in at 14% alcohol, this wine was surprisingly elegant.  The aromas were classic Syrah – black fruits, violets, spice and sausage.  It’s aged on the lees for 48 months and they use vintage port as the dosage.  If you have no idea what this sentence means, click here.

The tasting notes from the producer’s website suggested that it would “great with bacon and eggs”.  While it would be a versatile wine and a fun addition to a holiday party, it might be a little much to start your day with.  Someone from that part of the world responded to my concern in class by saying that bacon and eggs are a common thing to have for Sunday supper.  I’ll drink to that.