“When God invented Shiraz he did so with Australia in mind,” Peter Lehmann, one of the prominent Australian wine-makers once said. I can only add that divine inspiration was probably on the agenda too when some Australian wine-maker first blended Shiraz with Cabernet Sauvignon to make a rich, puissant and satisfying red wine.

Shiraz (or Syrah as it is called in France, where from it travelled everywhere across the world) is the most popular Australian varietal and accounts for about a quarter of total Australian wine production. In France it is especially appreciated in Rhône Valley, where it is often used to create blended wines with several other grape varietals, although the resulting quantity of Shiraz in the blend is mostly predominant. Cabernet Sauvignon, on the other hand, is the most popular of Bordeaux varietals, it often predominates Bordeaux blends and has been planted everywhere from Bulgaria to Chile, and Australia is no exception.

The marriage of such forceful personalities could have been a disaster – but it has, on the contrary, turned out to be a great success. I have tasted several Australian Shiraz-Cabernet wines to date (and even a South African one at the Santé - Australian trends are catching up) and I must confess that it is very easy to like them: they are open, round and luscious, even if a tad on the sweet side. This is actually residual sugar that didn’t turn into alcohol before fermentation stopped – which is just as well after all, or the result could have been a dried-out parched thin wine with the uncomfortable alcohol content of 16%, almost like a liqueur.

It is at 12%-13% alcohol content that the Australian Cabernet-Shiraz blend reveals its glorious self to the fullest. Penfolds Koonunga Hill 2004 ($16 at LCBO) is a deep velvety fruity wine with lovely smoky overtones of chocolate and prune. Hardy’s Stamp of Australia 2005 is more simple, jammy and slightly over-ripe wine but still very good for its price (1.5 l for $20 at LCBO).

And now, finally, my excuse for writing on such wines in such weather. It’s summer in the city and time for barbecuing outdoors. A full-bodied Shiraz-Cabernet blend would actually be the perfect match for any grilled red meats. And if there is rain, one could always sip Shiraz-Cabernet indoors – with some extravagant dark chocolate dessert (oh yes, it will work!) to brighten things up a little bit. A very versatile blend, this Australian Shiraz-Cabernet.