Saint and Sinner Wine Tasting at the Shirt Bar

She’s ripe, juicy and deliciously busty. Assertive and alluring, she promises to bring divine pleasure. She can be young, fresh, fruity and playful, or if you prefer, sensual and velvety. The choice is yours.

Saint and Sinner Wines

Since they launched a little over a year ago, Saint and Sinner Wines have been known for their risqué labels and sexy marketing. “She” is one of the six wines, each bearing a seductive label and interactive call card.

Gourmantic first discovered S&S wines at the Sydney Food and Wine Fair in 2010, and prior to Christmas 2011, attended a tasting of their entire range at the Shirt Bar in Sussex Lane.

Luke Edwards and Renee de Saxe

Luke Edwards and Renee de Saxe are the couple behind Saint and Sinner wines. Luke is the winemaker and has been working in viniculture for around 10 years. Griffith-based now, his family originates from the Adelaide Hills, where many of his wines are sources. Renee is behind the sexy marketing and the concept of an interactive call card.

The marketing is primarily aimed at Gen Y, the next generation of wine drinkers. You can text the number on the wine label and interact with one of the “girls”. She will respond by giving you food matches and more information about the wine. Text FLIRT and she’ll flirt back, and she may eventually lead you to meet her sassy sisters on the website.

Femme Fatale Sparkling

Starting with  Femme Fatale, a 2006 Sparkling from Tasmania, this is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier that has spent four years on lees. The wine is fermented dry before a little liqueur is added which gives it a little sweet character. This is a sexy sparkling and no doubt bears the most elegant label which can easily inspire a film noir.

Wine labels with call cards

With her fishnet stockings, Savvy Blanc comes from the family-owned vineyard in Adelaide Hills. This is a fruity driven style of wine with  13.7% alcohol, arguably our least favourite of the range.

Assertive and alluring, Mistress Pinot Gris comes from Tasmania, and makes a sudden impact on the taste buds. A little Chardonnay is added to the Pinot Gris which gives the wine a zesty character. A wine that is very pleasant to drink on its own or as an accompaniment to seafood and oysters.

The pre-release Pinot Noir 2010 from Adelaide Hills (not shown) is a gorgeous drop with ripe strawberries, fresh fruit and light tannins. She will be bottled at the end of January 2012 and will bear a seductive purple label.

Living up to her “ripe and juicy” call card, Syrah 2007 comes from McLaren Vale and has a little Cabernet added to the Shiraz. She spends 18 months in American oak resulting in a smooth, ripe and fruity character which carries a little sweetness with the peppery character. This is the first wine made by Saint and Sinner and is representative of the label.

Finishing with the girl from Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, the grapes are sourced from the Wrattonbully regionnorth of Coonawarra then matured in new French and American oak for 18 months making it a luscious, ripe and full-bodied wine.

When it comes to choosing a favourite, the girl from Syrah has some serious competition from Miss Pinot Noir, but we’re told they all play along nicely.

Luke Edwards (S&S), Adam Hofbauer (Shirt Bar) and Renee de Saxe (S&S)

Saint and Sinner Wines are now being exported to Quebec, Canada and they have also appointed a sales agent in America. You’ll find the wines for sale online on their website and if you’re in Sydney, they are available at the Shirt Bar in Sussex Lane.

The Saint and Sinner Wine Tasting was held on December 15, 2011 at the Shirt Bar.

Saint and Sinner Wines
www.saintandsinner.com.au

Shirt Bar
7 Sussex Lane
Between 275 Kent St & Sussex St
Sydney NSW 2000
www.shirtbar.com.au