|
|
|
|
By Chuck Hill
CHUCK'S CURRENT PREVIOUS SERIES
Tasty Italian Varietals... EARLIER COLUMNS
The Game of Gewürztraminer
Cabernet
Sauvignon & Meritage Wines
Oyster-Friendly Wines
Meat Merlot
Summer Zinfandels
The Mystery of Viognier
Versatile Pinot Noir
Wines of the Week REVIEWS BY VARIETAL
Chuck's Wine Reviews
|
Syrah and Petite Sirah – Wine for Food For our first go at Syrah, let’s clarify that Syrah and Petite Sirah are closely related varietals. Long a source of confusion, Petite Sirah was identified as the French variety Durif. It was not until 1996, however, that Dr. Carole Meredith at UC Davis – using advanced DNA techniques – showed that Durif was a genetic cross between Syrah and the minor French variety Peloursin. That established, one can see that the two varieties might share similar characteristics in aroma and flavor, and indeed do on many occasions. For an excellent article on this by Dennis Fife, please see: http://www.winelabels.org/artsirah.htm This week we concentrated on Syrah (Petite Sirah selections next week) and chose savory food selections from our local, ground-based taco wagon, La Fondita. Tacos of Chicherone, Tripas and Asada were enjoyed with a plate of carnitas, rice, beans and various spicy sauces.
Saviah Cellars
Rich Funk has achieved great success with his Walla Walla winery crafting a wide range of high-scoring wines utilizing fruit from around the state. His Walla Walla Valley Syrah was a favorite with our tasters, featuring a nice balance of ripe Syrah fruit and toasty oak character. Aromas of blueberry, smoky herb, earth and cedar lead to a complex palate with flavors of blueberry, mocha, cranberry and vanilla. Ample acidity for food friendliness.
Sineann Peter Rosback has an unlimited imagination for creating wines that accompany food. This blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel caught the fancy of our tasters with aromas and flavors of ripe berry/cherry, smoky herb and complex leather and tobacco notes. Sineann wines always have a remarkable food friendliness and “come hither” character.
Another high-scoring favorite with our tasters, this Syrah offers a lean and muscular profile with aromas of black fruits, leather, spicy herb and floral notes. The palate is complex and impeccably balanced with flavors of boysenberry, cherry, smoky cedar and herb. Very tasty with foods from the grill and spicy sauces.
Buena Vista One might think that the relatively cool Carneros region is not the right place to grow Syrah, but selected locations have the necessary heat and the long ripening season that produces excellent quality fruit. Look for aromas of raspberry and blueberry, baking spice and dark chocolate. The palate adds more berry flavors to the mix and finishes with smoky cedar and light vanilla. Very food friendly wine, especially with meats from the grill and spicy fare.
This wine was released as part of the late David Lake, M.W. Signature Series, designating the best efforts of both grape growing and winemaking. The fruit comes from multiple blocks of the Red Willow Vineyard, and the wine shows the complexity and finesse of artful blending: tangy cherry and plum fruit, smoky dusty earth, spicy notes and a long finish of candied plum and cedar. Very pleasant with spicy foods, but a fine bottle to linger over as the aromas and flavors evolve.
Milbrandt Vineyards At the early stage of this wine’s development, it is showing ample oak character wrapped around a complex core of spicy berry, floral notes and vanilla. The wine evolves in your glass with myriad oak-influenced nuances dancing around red fruits and herbs. A year or two of further bottle age will marry the various components for maximum enjoyment.
Reininger Winery Chuck Reininger is quite interested in Syrah and has conducted some experiments with various clones of the varietal that will be highlighted in next week’s column. This bottling - his top-of-the-line Syrah – comes from Ash Hollow Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley AVA. Black cherry, tar, floral perfume and toasty oak greet your nose, while the chewy palate has lingering flavors of cherry, herbs and cedar.
Airfield Estates From the cheesecake pinup label to the fruit-bomb-with-more nose and palate, Bombshell Red is a sure crowd pleaser as the weather warms up and the meat hits the grill. The blend is mostly Syrah and Merlot with some additional Bordeaux varieties and a little Sangiovese thrown in. Aromas of ripe cherry and cranberry with notes of tar and baking spice lead to a spicy palate of plum and vanilla. This fun Syrah blend will tickle your palate with spicy dinner fare.
Snoqualmie Vineyards Chef Ted and I decided that this is a wine with a past. Contemplative sipping reveals excellent structure, complex fruit on both nose and palate, and a certain “je ne sais quoi” regarding wine quality that comes with experience. Our best guess is that much of this wine was destined for a more expensive bottling, but it is your treat to discover huckleberry, spicy herbs, floral perfume and a rich, fruity palate at a bargain price.
Black Box Once you do the math, you’ll find it hard to resist laying in a Black Box of Shiraz for your next grill gathering or as a go-to everyday red. At the equivalent of just $5.50 a bottle, you’ll find your money’s worth of tangy red fruits, smoky cedar and tarry notes on the nose, and a firm palate that complements steak or spicy fajitas. The clever physics of the bag-in-a-box keeps wine fresh for weeks.
Covey Run Check many of the other vintages in this column, and you’ll notice that this bottling has a couple years' age on most. Restrained red fruits and dusty herbs on the nose lead to a palate showing flavors of cherry candy, plum and toasty mocha. Pull the cork on this great wine for pepperoni pizza, zesty tacos or three-alarm chili (recipe next week)!
Columbia Crest Columbia Crest’s bargain-priced Two Vines series of wines indeed offer excellent value for distinctive table wines. Look for berry and dusty herb aromas with flavors of sweet cherry and vanilla. The wine makes a near-perfect foil for tasty, south-of-the-border foods.
Alice White From the land down under comes another entry into the value-priced Syrah/Shiraz market. Ripe aromas and flavors of plum and berry mingle with herbs and toasty notes. The palate is soft and approachable complementing spicy foods from the grill and the zesty flavors of chiles and rich sauces. # # #
One-year
Archive of previous
Wines of the Week reviews
|
Kendall
Jackson
