My sister Carole is visiting from New York and wasn’t it lucky that the kind folks at wineselectors.com.au sent me a bottle of Sister’s Run 2011 Sunday Slippers Chardonnay to review. For the two weeks that Carole is visiting, it’s all about sisters and wonderful times. …and wine, don’t forget the wine.
John poured a glass for the three of us and I went to my tablet to look up some information about the wine. You’ll never hear me tell you that I know more than you do about wine. I don’t. I know what I like and that’s what I drink.
A few years ago I got a wine tasting educational kit and had a play with it and I’ve also done some wine education tastings and talked to a few people I think are pretty clever where wine is concerned. I think I’ve learned a bit but you won’t find me adding a tasting note like this to anything:
“Deeply scented black cherries fuse with toasted marshmellow, sweet custard pie and cinnamon sticks. Well seasoned oak supports the floral scent of musky black roses and a savory thorny understory like a briar growing through straw mulch after a recent rain.”
Seriously. Never.
What I learned about Sister’s run winery in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia really made me smile. Their wine maker, Elena Brooks is from Bulgaria and that’s one of my favorite places in the world. She wears steel toed boots every day but carries a pair of high heels in the back of her ute (truck) just for emergencies. You’ll notice the boot and the heel on the label. Late one night after a party in mid-vintage, Elena showed up, put one boot back on and the crew yelled, ‘Run Sister Run’ and the name was good enough to create a label.
I served some small appetizer tarts filled with goats cheese, caramelized onions and custard and this wine was a wonderful pair. My first sniff told me I would love it because Sunday Slippers is quite fruity – apples, pears and a hint of citrus. As the name implies, it’s a comfortable, easy drinking wine. I think I could drink this wine without any food at all, it was that good.
John, normally a red wine only drinker thought it was really good – “a perfect wine for you,” he said. Carole liked it enough to ask if we could get a couple of bottles for her to take home with her to New York.
I received two bottles of wine from Wine Selectors but my opinion and comments are just that, mine.
I generally prefer white wines. That must be the Austrian blood coming out more then the french one. lol I could never imagine you talking like that about a wine Maureen. I feel this is a hilarious wine and since you mentioned that it comes from Bulgaria, I ll ask my grandfather if he had heard of it before and maybe he can get me a bottle and save it for our next meeting. He is really good with wines but even he wouldn’t talk about marshmallow and oak scents when tasting the wine. ^.^
no no, it’s not from Bulgaria – the wine maker is Bulgarian. She’s a beautiful young woman from Bulgaria. I think I’d like your grandfather. 🙂
You know I love me some wine, LOL! What a lovely gift for when you sister came, that was so sweet! I dream of visiting Adelaide, now I dream of trying their wine, YUM! Hugs, Terra
How fun to have your sister visiting. I was supposed to fly to Chicago this week to visit my sister. I only had 21/2 days to stay in between working. I got to the airport, checked in and was waiting at the gate to board when they cancelled all flights to Chicago, for the rest of the day and couldn’t put me on a flight till late the next day. So sad, I had to postpone my trip so I’m a bit envious of you getting to spend time with your sister. A glass of this delicious sounding wine makes it even more fun 🙂
Red, white — I’ll drink them both! I know virtually nothing about wine. Fortunately we live within walking distance of two wine shops, both of which are quite good. One of them has fantastic staff — they’ve never made a bad recommendation. So we always put ourselves in their hands, and tell them what we’re going to eat and how much we want to spend, and they come through with a recommendation. Haven’t heard of this label before, but love the story. I’ll have to look for it. Thanks for this.
I am partial to white wine, port, sweet wine and drink anything that is…sweet!! I love the name of this wine.
Australia has the funniest wine names in the world, I think. I usually go by recommendations first and name second. The sillier the name the more I want to buy it. 🙂
Some red wines give me difficulty with food so most white wines are my favorite but there are several reds I like too.
I love the label and the story behind it!
me too !
Oh, how I love sister time! So glad you’re sharing tasty wine and good food. I know even less about wine than you, but my philosophy is just the same 🙂
I haven’t had sister time for over 5 years so I’m soaking it all up. I’m a bit vacant from commenting but I’ll catch up once she’s gone. 🙂
My, but the wine sounds delightful! I’m no expert, I just drink what I like, and I think I would like this one. Thank you for the tip, and sister time is indeed delicious – more so the older I get. Thank you!
Hi Adri and thanks heaps for visiting! I’m truly enjoying sister time. 🙂
A gorgeous gift from a gorgeous sister 😀
Thanks for sharing your story! Can’t comment on the wine part though 😉
Cheers
CCU
Actually the wine was a review request but the name fit the occasion. 🙂
I love a good wine, but my preference tends to be towards sweet wines.
Summers are moscato for me too!
Dear Maureen, What a nice treat to get to sample a delicious wine while your sister is visiting.
Enjoy every minute of visiting with each other.
blessings dearest. Catherine xo
We never know when or even if we’ll see each other again so we’re using every minute. Thanks!
You made me chuckle; I read those tasting notes sometimes and all I can think is, ‘Gee, I just think mine tasted like red wine.’ I know if it’s good (for me) or not but I seldom get those specifics…which means we could drink together!!
Barb, I’d drink with you anytime – dancing on the table not required but is always an option 🙂
I wish I had a sister … just to share a glass of this label with her. 🙂
Chardonnay is a nice wine. I had my first bottle of a local winery’s product recently with some mussels and it was very good. I hope to enjoy another bottle soon.
We did enjoy it with lots of shared memories.
My very first glass of wine (in the late 1960’s) was a very dry Chardonnay from Australia. I LOVED IT!!!!! It was excellent. Because this was my first expereince with wine, I have a very special place in my heart for Australian wines. Have never beed disappointed either. And since it was a very positive expereince, today I am usually willing to try any wine.
I would like to try Sister’s Run wine now.
*Clinks Glasses* Cheers!
I was legal in the late 60s too. I’ve never been a big drinker but I do enjoy it.
Well, everyone who knows me is also aware of my partiality to dry white wine . . . some red, some single malt, good cognac, Ok the occasional G&T served long 🙂 ! I can be ascribed as a classicist and purist as far as a wine is concerned, but I so do love the irreverent attitude many Oz winemakers have as far as naming their wines is concerned. God bless and let’s ‘lighten up’ ! 🙂 !!!! Love the story of the gutsy Bulgarian heritaged winemaker!!!!
I hope to meet her one day. Every Bulgarian I know is such a hard worker. 🙂
I like wine, red and white, depending on what I’m eating and how I feel… but cannot drink at present. Sad face. Love this post!
The wine those tasting notes describe is the one I want – now!! 🙂 So glad your sis is visiting!! Hope you have a jolly time. 🙂
I think your tasting notes were just fine. I’m home in Melbourne and Mum is a massive Aldi fan and I’m seriously surprised at the quality of the wine I’ve been drinking. I’d never have thought of buying Aldi wine before. Sadly (or happily) I have no one to share a bottle with but it’s not stopping me…I’m with you – I know what I like!
aaahhh…chilled moscato, cheese and watermelon = bliss. During summer, that’s all I drink, actually, I drink it all year round LOL. Poifect review!
Oh Adrian that sounds wonderful! Bring on summer!
Sounds like you’re having a great time with Carole!!
Hehe is that a serious tasting note? :O Wow, that’s quite the language and I had a bit of a giggle I must admit 😉
I have to confess: I often buy wines, purely because of the fun name on the label! I don’t care about the price and how many awards they’ve won, if it’s funny, quirky or catches my eye, i’ll give it a go!
Now, if I were visiting my one and only sis, and wanted to pop by for a giggle, this is the bottle i’d grab 😉
Lisa, that’s how I always do it. 🙂 If it doesn’t have a stupid name I won’t buy it. LOL
How nice that you got to sample to some Sister’s Run while your sister is there visiting. We are blessed with tons of wineries where I live. In some ways it’s a curse because there are literally so many different wines to taste and not enough time – lol… However, I have been cheating on the Finger Lakes wines lately. I’m in love with Barefoot Wines from California – please don’t tell anyone – 🙂 Any girl who wears steel toed boots and high heels is a friend of mine!
What I want to know is that goat cheese appi recipe on your site somewhere??!! Yum. I am with you I know what I like when it comes to wine, and I love a good chardonnay.
I have bought this wine and I really like it. I have to say I was attracted to it because having four sisters of my own, I thought the name and label were quite appropriate. xx
LOL! You didn’t get the marshmallow flavours 😉 Some of the things written about wine sound absurd!!
What good timing to receive the “Sisters Run” while your sister was visiting 🙂
Today we’re off for a tour of Maleny Dairy where we can milk a cow 🙂
Hahaha, I love your tasting note! Very entertaining post Maureen. I hope you are having a lovely time with your sister.
Great post!
I love wine where you don’t need to pair it with any food and they are terrific as-is. Sounds like something I would really enjoy. Thank you for sharing Maureen.
Just loved your wine review Maureen! Sunday Slippers sounds like a lovely wine to enjoy with salads and light summer fair, but as to most wines the best pairing is good company 🙂
Cheers,
J+C
Thanks heaps for the comment. I haven’t done wine before 🙂
Hi Maureen, What a lovely coincidence that you received the Sister’s Run wine while your sister was visiting! Isn’t life full of sweet coincidences like this…
yes and it’s a good wine too! 🙂
What a fantastic name for a wine!! And I love your pairing of the caramalized onion tarts. yum!!!
Thank you! So nice to see your comment.
Have a great visit with Carole. Tell her I am visiting with Richard as I write this and he joins me in sending best wishes.
Love the wine story, very timely and appropriate label, what fun.
Thanks Norma, only one more day and then they head back to Rhinebeck. 🙁
Yah for sisters. Wine and family, it doesn’t get any better than that.
I often see this at the bottle shop and wonder – I will give it a try now. I bought 3 cases of Graysonline this week so I am set for a little while 😉
I always wish that I have a sister so that I can chat all night and shop together (I have a younger brother who lives in Thailand and don’t get to meet often). I enjoyed reading your wine review! We sometimes received wines and my husband reviews for fun. My wine review is always “easy to drink” or “Not easy to drink” and that’s it. =P
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I totally thought of you while drinking my Australian WOOP WOOP wine because I knew you’d love the name. 😉
Absolutely, positively!
Recently we’ve had:
Whites
Dog Leg Chardonnay
Mr. Mick Riesling
Nine on the Roof Sauvignon Blanc
and my favorite – Possums Blewitt Springs Chardonnay
Reds
The Stump Jump Shiraz
Ram’s Leap Shiraz
Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Shiraz (my fave for drinking)
I wanted to buy Barking Mad Rose but I don’t really like it and that was too much just for fun. 🙂
I have saved these names onto my iPhone so I can check out the “Australia” section in the wine shops. 🙂