Fat Bastard

Click Wine Group, the privately held, Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world, has a standout collection of vintages in $10 - $13 range, starring Root: 1 from Chile and the indefatigable Fat Bastard. Their Global Wine Collection consists of signature varietals from world-class appellations with easy to pronounce (and sometimes amusing) names and appealing, consumer friendly packaging aimed at taking the intimidation out of wine. They have something for virtually every palate and autumnal occasion. To meet growing consumer demand, Root: 1 recently added two new varietals to its lineup: a smooth, richly flavored Carmenere and a crisp, fresh Chardonnay. Carmenere is Chile's signature varietal, a deep colored, full-bodied wine that offers the charm of Merlot and the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Produced in Colchaugua Valley, Root: 1 Carmenere is deep red in color with gentle tannins and rich flavors of plum, blackberry and spice. Root: 1 Chardonnay is not the heavily oaked kind that has become a wine snob's cliché, but rather a fine balance of fruit and acidity. Grown in the cool, coastal Casablanca Valley, renowned for producing the best white wines in South America, Root:1 Chardonnay is fresh, expressive and balanced with melon, honey and toasted hazelnut flavors. Also well worth trying is the Root 1: Sauvingnon Blanc, a crisp wine with citrus notes and a fresh, clean finish. The ungrafted rootstock produces a bright, tropical fruit flavor that pairs perfectly with salads, seafood and creamy pasta sauces.

The fact that this French wine is called a Shiraz and not a Syrah lets you know they are going after the hearts of Americans. Another clue is that the wine is called the "hippo cuvee" which makes it nominally (to me at least) a "critter wine." As a rule, I'm trying to stay away from wines with animals on the front but my partner picked this up because he loved the name and so I was saddled with this wine with dinner. The Fat Bastard is 100% Shiraz and at around $10, it's not exactly a luxury wine. Sometimes a $10 wine can be surprisingly amazing. Not this one. I'm not so much a Shiraz fan and this wine is a prime example of why. It comes on strong with a big red fruit flush and a whole lot of peppercorn aroma and then... Nothing. It drifts away with hardly any finish. It's the wine equivalent of a comedy starring Owen Wilson. You choose it because you think it will be fun and charming and entertaining, instead you just end up unfulfilled.