A few nights ago I did a tasting of Syrahs from around the world, and now I’m going to offer up a full-scale review of the wines we tasted. This was a tasting it was easy for me to get excited about, since I love Syrah and I actually was able to put together a cast of six significantly distinct wines and actually showcase their diverse qualities. Simply put, this is an event I would have wanted to attend as a member of the audience.
I opened up with Jean Louis Chave Selections “Offerus” St. Joseph, which is a negociant wine. Chave does have an estate St. Joseph, but my goal was to keep most wines in the easy-to-afford category and there is nothing wrong with the quality of this bottle. Unfortunately I did mess up the presentation of this wine. I wanted it to go first because my talk started with the Northern Rhone and the true home of Syrah, but I only poured this wine about 20 minutes before we sat down. As a 2005, it was to say the least a bit tight. Decanting this for about 90 minutes or maybe even two hours would have been a wise move.
The wine showed plenty of black pepper and leather, and someone doing technical tasting would be quite happy. But there was little fruit and while the tannin wasn’t overwhelming by any means I know some people felt it to be a bit astringent. That is too bad because the wine had great structure and hinted at some very nice intensity, and for powerful Syrah it was great.
Next up was Qupe Stolpman Single Vineyard Syrah, of which only 96 cases were made. This wine comes from Santa Ynez and is a good representation of Central Coast Syrah that isn’t completely over-extracted and fruit soaked. The wine certainly felt lighter than the St. Joseph and showed a bit more fruit, but at the same time it retained a bit of the black pepper and leathery elements. The Santa Ynez Valley has some areas that are cooler climate, but it isn’t the Northern Rhone. But, this wine is a happy medium between traditional, Old World Syrah and those who enjoy a younger, more fruit forward style. A top-notch producer showing why they have earned so much respect.
Our next wine was the Dain Wines “Abner” from Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros. Carneros is mostly known for Chard and Pinot, along with the Sparkling Wines made from these two grapes, but there is some very yummy Syrah grown there. The proximity to the San Pablo Bay makes this region cooler than most of Napa and Sonoma, and it has turned out the occasional knockout Syrah (the problem is who is going to plant Syrah when you have a large demand for Pinot and Chard???). The wine was certainly round, and there were plenty of dark fruits on the nose. The problem was a lack of spice on the palate, but redemption came in the form of bright and refreshing minerality and acidity. A wonderful burst towards the back of the wine made it wonderful. In the end, the cooler climate of Carneros did burst through.
Maybe two months ago I tasted a wine that actually had me reschedule this event to make sure I could include the next wine: Syrah by Rudi Schultz from Stellenbosch in South Africa. I know this wine is now receiving some serious critical attention (consecutive low-to-mid nineties scores from The Wine Spectator) but I was unaware of that when I tasted it. All I could think of was how awesome the wine was.
Admittedly I was a bit nervous the night of the tasting because I was convinced when I tasted the wine that it was outstanding, and I hoped I would feel the same now that I was standing in front of an audience. Fortunately, it was that wonderful and the rest of the room agreed. I won’t say the perfect balance between Old and New World, but certainly a great place to be. Good fruit, dark aromas, and hints of spice in the deep nose, and then great fulfillment on the palate and just enough leather and pepper to pay tribute to the great wines of the Northern Rhone valley.
For the last two wines I wanted to demonstrate the rich and high-octane New World style of Syrah (or Shiraz) that has made the grape so popular to many. I have to admit that candied Syrah with a syrup-like texture is not my thing. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create super-fruity wines with tons of alcohol that aren’t well made (and sometimes super yummy).
I had to include an Australian wine, so I went with Marquis Philips Sarah’s Blend. In fact this is only about two-thirds Syrah and the balance Cab, Merlot, and some others, but it also made sense to include a Syrah blend for discussion’s sake. This is a delicious wine with dark fruit and some spice, along with low acids and a sweet finish. It is not as big or full or well balanced as the other Syrahs, but if you like the more candied, slightly elevated levels of residual sugar version of Shiraz the Aussies have made so famous, this should make you quite happy.
To wrap things up, I went with the Rosenblum England-Shaw Vineyard Syrah. Kent Rosenblum certainly has a signature style, and it works perfectly with Zinfandel. But lately he has been focusing more and more on Rhone varietals, and while it may not be for everyone it certainly has its appeal. Full-throttle fruit, high-octane power intensity, and lots, and lots of flavor; this is the epitome of big extraction. I love the ripe fruits and sweet elements of this wine, and somehow it doesn’t feel hot or out of balance. Not the universal style of Syrah, and light years from the St. Joseph that started the evening off, but a wonderful Syrah none the less.
On the whole the Rudi Schultz was the room’s favorite, although the St. Joseph and Qupe also were popular. But the thing that made me the happiest was all six wines were unique and distinct. That is a big part of what I love about Syrah.
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