A Good Wine Can Be Found At Anytime

I enjoy the pursuit of new wines (new to me of course). As I write this, I am enjoying a 1999 reserve from Margret River, Australia. For those that do not know, Margret river is on the south west coast of Australia and is home to a number of vineyards as well as vintages.

Going back to the 1999 reserve that I am enjoying, it has no name brand per say. When I first discovered the label, my wife and I had had just moved back to the United States and were dead broke. The family was getting together and my mother asked that we bring the wine. Hesitant I agreed and went to the local grocery store. I perused the aisles looking for a bottle (or seven actually) that was good enough to take home to mom…but that did not break my wallet as I had not yet found gainful employment.

I had fallen in love with Australian and New Zealand wines when I spent half a year in Perth (western Australia). As I walked the aisles aimlessly I came across a label that I had never seen before and it struck my curiosity. Taking the bottle into my hand, I read the label, front and back. It spoke nothing of the after tones or the finishes or the nose or the pallet, or berries, or oak casks, or mulberry. The label said nothing of the fine vineyards and its rich tradition. Nothing was noted about the owner or caretaker. The label contained two pieces of information, a slide rule type indicator for fruity or oakey, delicate or robust and soft or full-bodied and the label’s Origin.

Intrigued, the basket filled with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Malbec, Petit Shiraz and my favored, Cabernet Sauvignon. Forty-five dollars and a quick drive to Mom’s later I opened the favored first. Letting it breathe the family took note of the bottles and said they had never heard of the brand and asked me of its Origin. Knowing nothing, I shrugged.

Whence dinner was finished and the bottles polished (large family) we all agreed that some of the best wines we had ever had were from that label. To this day, I still purchase anything made by sold under this label and yet the Origin of their wines is still unknown to me. Proudly, these wines are served to friends and family and they are always enjoyed.

The label…is Origin. According to their website,
“…Origin™ is a collection of the best wines the world has to offer – the ‘namesake’ wines from each country of origin. This multi-country, multi-varietal brand features the indigenous varietals on which these countries built their respective reputations.”
“The Origin “Collection Series” offerings feature select, small-lot wines sourced from highly acclaimed wine growing regions or vineyards within a particular country and are of limited production. Origin Reserve Series is a selection of wines showcasing distinctive varietal expression, sourced from very specific wine growing regions.”

And another glass is poured. :)