The recession continues to provide us with terrific wine values, of which the Pillar Box White is the lastest example. The wine is made by Australia’s Henry’s Drive, best known for its Pillar Box red blend and various shirazes favored by the Wine Magazines. Henry’s Drive, before the Australian wine glut, was quirky enough to appeal to people like me but not so quirky as to alienate the establishment. And if the wines were a couple of bucks too expensive, no one seemed to care.
The list price for the Pillar Box white (purchased, available at World Market) is $14, which means it should show up at varous retailers in the U.S. for $12 or so. In which case it would be a fair value, if not a great one. So how much did I pay for it? Eight bucks. Not bad, huh? Someone, apparently, had a lot of wine to move.
And I got a lot for my $8. The white is a blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and a Portuguese grape called verdelho, which the Aussies have had some success with. It needs food, since it’s more than a little puckery from the sauvignon blanc. Still, having said that, the grapefruit wasn’t unpleasant, and there was even a little oiliness, which helped balance the acid. Chill the Pillar Box and grill some shrimp or chicken breasts marinated in garlic and olive oil to go with it, and you should be more than happy.
