Trentham Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2004 (>$20 from Safeway Supermarket)

Mish: so like, are you drinking that cab sav... ahhemm merlot?
Fox: the what?
Mish: the wine that was open on the bench?
Fox: yeh!
Mish: good, cos it's hard to do wine tasting when I just drink all of it on my own.
Fox: drunk! so, what do you think?
Mish: um.. think? ah.. it tastes good with meatball pizza*
Fox: ha! well I think it tastes good, I give it four stars!
Mish: yay!

Verdict: We both liked this wine very much - and it didn't last long around here at all.

Sacred Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2006 (>$20 from Safeway Supermarket)

Fox: This wine smells funny. Fishy. Like cat food.
Mish:*sniffs*
Fox:Like.. like.. jellymeat!
Mish:You're right.. it does smell like jellymeat.
Fox: It doesn't taste like it though
Mish:Thank god.
Fox: Dear Wine Company, your wine smells like cat food. *drinks*
Mish:*tips wine down sink*

Verdict: Much better the next day - the strange jellymeaty smell had gone the next day and it accompanied Mish's salami, roasted capsicum and chilli pizza very well indeed. So make sure you let this wine breathe a while before consuming.

* while the pizza base can carry many different toppings or combinations thereof - meatballs at no time is ever a good idea. If the meatballs are really good, they deserve a comfortable bed of spaghetti not the unforgiving surface of a pizza base. Mostly, people don't know how to make meatballs and the maker of this particular pizza was no exception - this resulted in what essentially was mince on toast (pizza base) so thank goodness the red wine helped out.