The Soul of Syrah

2008 Cass Syrah

 
 
2008 Cass Syrah 

• California
• Paso Robles
• Estate grown
• Winery price:  $42
• Level IV: Hedonistic and rich

This exceptionally dark Paso Robles syrah was very closed, even after resting in an opened bottle for an hour.  Another hour in a decanter brought out clean aromas of plum and blueberry with some floral notes and  leather. 

Although the nose is shy, the mouthfeel is unabashedly luscious and velvet.  Plum, blackberry and chocolate liqueur predominate, with additional notes of cinnamon, caramel, oak and balsam.  A nice balance of tannins and acidity make it very drinkable now, particularly with its base of dark, lustrous fruit, but it also has the stuffing to age well for 7-8 years at least.

Incredibly sexy with cheese.

2009 Eberle Syrah Rose', Steinbeck Vineyard

 
 
 2009 Eberle Syrah Rose', Steinbeck Vineyard

• California
• Paso Robles
• Steinbeck Vineyard
• Winery price:  $17 
• Level I: Great fruit, friendly

The Eberle Steinbeck rose' is a deep blush style that opens with aromas of strawberries, fruit leather, melon and vanilla.  Dry and full-bodied, this rosy gypsy continues with a lively mix of strawberry, pear, blond plum, raspberry and white pepper.

This bottle lasted for nanoseconds in our house, served with pork steaks glazed in an orange-habanero marmalade with a side of grilled mixed vegetables.

Photo credit:  2007 Eberle Syrah Rose, featured on eatthiswith.com.

2008 Eberle Syrah, Steinbeck Vineyard

 

2008 Eberle Syrah, SteinbeckVineyard

• California
• Paso Robles
• Steinbeck Vineyard
• Winery price:  $21 
• Level II: Spicy and elegant

This deep ruby-colored syrah starts off with aromas of marionberries and cherry compote, with notes of pastry, mincement and marjoram. 

And then, zam! pow!  A spicy blast of black peppercorn and a medley of herbs and Mediterranean olives in a base of cherry and raspberry liqueur flavors with some zippy acidity.  Featuring typical Paso Robles spice and olive in a summer compote fruit base, this is a wine for drinkers who love a ton of peppercorn in their syrah.

Jean Edwards Cellars, 2005-2007 Syrahs

 

2007 Jean Edwards Syrah, Alder Springs Vineyard

• California
• Mendocino County
• Alder Springs Vineyard
• 75 cases produced
• Winery price:  $45 
• Level I: Great fruit, friendly

All three wines tasted here feature the signature Jean Edwards style--medium oak, brisk acidity, and evident but not overpowering oak.  Although I found all three of these syrahs appealing, this one was my favorite. 

The Alder Springs opens with a little pouty funk, as if it resents being awakened, but that blows off within 30 minutes or less (so I recommend decanting).  After that, the wine opens up with aromas of warm summer plums, earth, hay, oak, and freshly cracked pepper.

Buoyed up by zesty acids and medium tannins, the mouthfeel is all about mixed summer berries dusted with black pepper and cinnamon.  Hints of sage, olive and oak linger in the background.  What really made this wine stand out for me, not just in this lineup but against other syrahs as well, was that the fruit was so multi-dimensional.  This wine has a fruit spectrum that ranges from strawberry and cranberry all the way to dark plum and cassis. 

This wine is very enjoyable now, and its medium tannins promise some longevity as well.  A heavyweight in the culinary-friendly Level I category, this is a perfect syrah for drinkers who want an amazing burst of syrah fruit and sass. 

2008 Austin Hope Syrah, Hope Family Vineyard

 
 

• California
• Paso Robles
• Hope Family Vineyard
• 902 six-bottle cases produced
• Winery price:  $42 
• Level III: Hun warrior

The extracted color and appearance  of the 2008 Austin Hope Syrah promises a massive syrah experience, and it doesn't disappoint.

When the wine was first opened, the aromas were very tight but still delivered oak, licorice, black pepper, mincemeat and coffee against a closed background of plum.  After 45 minutes, the fruit woke up and put forth some solid aromas of blueberry, red plums, and roses.

Flavors followed through with ripe plum, blueberry, mincemeat, and roast beef.  A finish of raw cocoa and leather indicates that the tannins are still very young.

Cellar recommendation:  5 to 15 years.  Decant for a minimum of 1 hour.

Austin is a very talented winemaker at the helm of half a dozen wine brands.  He also has a great sense of humor.  If you haven't seen the Austin Hope video Troublemaker yet, you can check it out here.

 

Q&A with Macario Montoya, Campesino Cellars

 
Macario Montoya with his wife and partner Griselda Ceja. 

 

I notice you used 75% used or neutral oak on this wine.  Is this a normal ratio for you?   Is this part of your signature style? 

 

For me personally and the style I am trying to achieve I do believe that a 75/25 ratio is perfect.   However, I also feel its important to let the vineyard and the wine dictate how much new oak is used.  Most of the time, I find that  cool climate syrahs don't need much new oak.  I primarily used neutral oak in this wine because I felt that the fruit was so expressive, I didn't want to mask any of its natural flavors.  However, I did feel that the use of one new barrel would help the overall structure of the wine.

What led you to purchase fruit from Sangiacomo? 

2008 Campesino Sangiacomo “Old Lakeville” Syrah

 

• California
• Sonoma Coast
• Sangiacomo "Old Lakeville" Vineyard
• 100 cases produced
• Winery price:  $35 
• Level III: Hun warrior

The Campesino Old Lakeville's intensely blue-purple color led me to believe that it might be an overtly lush style, and the aromas promised massive black cherry, cola, cinnamon and oak.  But the flavors and mouthfeel deliver a solid cool-climate performance--brisk acids and velveteen tannins combined in a dark, plummy, layered wine.

Flavors followed through on the aromatic promise with plum, cranberry, chocolate, nutmeg, bacon, sage, and a hint of steel or ink.

I'm pretty confident that this is a style of syrah that will age beautifully yet is drinkable now.

After tasting, I enjoyed another glass with a pork tenderloin glazed with balsamic vinegar, habanero jelly and orange marmalade, served with mashed micro-potatoes from the garden.  The acidity and depth of the wine was a great match for the sweet-hot glaze, and the sweetness of the meat. 

Q&A with John Cabot, Cabot Vineyards

 
John, I notice you use a lot of neutral oak, and a significant percentage of Hungarian oak.  Can you explain your choices?   Is this part of your signature style? 

One way I can stand out in the crowd is by showcasing the unique varietal and site-specific characteristics of North Eastern Humboldt County.  I don't think syrah needs much oak, if at all. There are so many interesting nuances to cool climate syrah, it would be a shame to hide them behind new oak. I do use a small amount of Hungarian oak, as it has baking spice notes that marry well with the finish of syrah in our region.

Are all your vineyards own-rooted?  How did you arrive at the decision to plant vines own-rooted?

Yes, all but a small section of our vineyards are own rooted. We are in a very remote region, 100 miles or more from other vineyards, in the middle of the wilderness. There is no phylloxera in the entire county, and I believe that varieties grown on their own roots display better varietal characteristics and terroir.

What is your soil structure?  How do you think it affects the fruit, and how do you work with that to achieve the style that you want?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of your soils and meteorological influences?

Cabot Vineyards 2006 Syrah

 

Yes, it's here!  The launch of Soul of Syrah wine reviews. 

The first three wines are all from Cabot Vineyards in Humboldt County.  (Watch for a Q&A with winemaker John Cabot tomorrow.)  I tasted the wines on my own, and then gathered them up to share with friends, who also supplied input and feedback.  Culinary author Brigit Binns and her husband, actor Casey Biggs, were celebrating their first night in their new home with friends, over a rustic meal of  bouride topped with roasted kale.   We drank Champagne and roussanne with the bouride, a fish stew.  However, as Brigit was preparing the meal she had to spank us all away from the oven because we kept stealing crispy roasted kale chips to nibble on as we tasted the syrahs. 

All three syrahs had a similar cool-climate style that may be distinctively Cabot—bright fruit and color, Asian spice tannins, an elegant white pepper style—but each also had its own personality. 

Let the Wine Reviews Begin!

I'll be kicking off The Soul of Syrah wine reviews this coming week with notes on three Cabot Vineyards syrahs. 

Our plans have changed slightly, and I think you'll be pleased.  In addition to a biannual print journal, we are moving to a wine review blog model and we'll be doing reviews as quickly as samples are received--much simpler and more efficient, plus we can produce reviews while the wines are still available! 

The journal will include articles and interviews from the blog, as well as a review chart that includes:

• Wine name, appellation, and state
• Winery bottle price
• Winery contact information (website, Facebook and Twitter links)
• Syrah level (see below)
• Brief review
• Reviewer(s)

All wines will be sorted into four levels—I, II, III, and IV

• I:  Fruity and food-friendly
• II:  Spicy and elegant
• III:  ‘Hun warrior’ style
• IV:  Hedonistic and rich

Wines will not be scored.  Sometimes they will be tasted by a single reviewer, but whenever possible, we'll be tasting them with winemaking and culinary associates.  Panel favorites will be featured as Soulmate Selections.

Wines will be listed by price within each category, from lowest to highest.

The purpose of the category and chart system is to make it easy for wine lovers and store customers to identify wines that fit their personal stylistic preferences and budget, and to build confidence in trying new wines and producers. 

If you know of any SYRAH PROMOTIONS in your area or your social network, please let us know and we'll be happy to give the promotion a free shout out on the blog and on The Soul of Syrah Tweetmobile!

What is the Soul of Syrah?

 
 
Syrah is a grape that is very expressive of its terroir.   Depending on where it is grown and how it is vinified, it offers up a variety of distinctive styles.  From rustic and fruity, to smoky and dangerous; spicy and elegant to hedonistic and rich—syrah is a varietal that captivates the imagination and palate.

But the very qualities that endear it to producers and wine lovers can make it difficult to sell to a consumer audience still uninformed about the mysteries of syrah.

Consumers complain that syrahs are too heavy, too smoky.  Or too fruity, too light. 

Retailers find it a hard slog to move syrah, distributors are backlogged—yet producers refuse to give up on a grape that gives them great pleasure and pride to produce.

There is a simple solution.  Tell consumers what syrah is.  And tell them what they can do with it.

Consumers are always attracted to a simple message.  The simpler and more specific the solution, the better.  What can be simpler for syrah patriots than a single, energetic hub of information on all things syrah? 

 Welcome to the Soul of Syrah.  Simple.  Soul.  Solution.

What is the Soul of Syrah?

Purpose 

•             To educate consumers about syrah
•             To assist consumers shopping for red wine
•             To promote syrah as a variety

 Objectives

•             To retain our independence as syrah patriots
•             Express our fervor for the grape
•             Educate wine buyers
•             Create excitement for syrah and make it “cool”
•             Encourage retail promotions and specials
•             Saturate media with syrah-related material
•             Provide a rich online environment for exploring syrah
•             Create interactive, fun social media coverage
•             Build broad, grassroots coverage
•             Achieve world domination

Are you a syrah lover?  Tell us what kind of syrah YOU like!

Pneumonia's Last 'Syrah'

 
A recent article by Eric Asimov in the New York Times began, “There’s a joke going around West Coast wine circles, 'What’s the difference between a case of syrah and a case of pneumonia? You can get rid of the pneumonia.' ”

Pneumonia expert Dr. Orin Levine of Johns Hopkins Medical Center saw the article and posted this response on the Huffington Post:

"In recognition of World Pneumonia Day 2010, which will take place November 12, I am asking all winemakers and wine retailers to contribute $10 from every case of Syrah they sell in November to the GAVI Alliance, and asking American wine drinkers to make Syrah their wine of choice in November."

"Pneumonia is the leading killer of children around the world, with more than 100 million serious cases in kids occurring every year, over 1.5 million of which are fatal. Safe and effective vaccines and treatments can eliminate at least half the cases of fatal pneumonia in children. Systems in developing countries exist to deliver these vaccines and treatments. The major obstacle is a lack of funding to purchase them for the children who urgently need them."

"So, let's get rid of pneumonia cases while drinking Syrah."

The intrepid board of directors at the Rhone Rangers answered the challenge and is coordinating a pledge drive to gather donations from case sales of syrah in the month of November.    

Interested winemakers can email pneuadip@jhsph.edu to make a pledge, or contact the Rhone Rangers through their website at www.rhonerangers.org. 

Participating Rhone Ranger members

I don't yet have a link to participants who are NOT Rhone Rangers, so if you know of such a link, or if you are participating directly with the Gavi Alliance pledge, please announce your participation here and we'll support you! 

Killer Syrah Pairings and Recommendations

One of the most fun aspects of the wine biz is working with chefs on wine pairing menus.  Some chefs are so confident in their ability to make a pairing, they don’t even taste the wines: they work off tasting notes and suggestions.  But others, like Chef Royce Mori of The Red Crane in Cupertino, are meticulous in their pairings, obsessing over every detail.  There is nothing quite like that perfect matchup.  It’s like Bogey and Hepburn or Lombard and Gable, chemically exquisite and powerfully memorable.  To see what I mean, check out the wine pairing dinner Red Crane is holding with Poetic Cellars on Sept 21, 7pm, (408) 725-1990.  Each dish works hand in hand with the wine, like a match made in heaven.

One of my culinary friends put on a Labor Day feast of rosemary-marinated lamb, tomato coulis and eggplant risotto: it was rockin’ with Boekenoogen pinot, but when winemaker Joe Lazarro uncorked the 2006 Jazz Cellars syrah from Las Madras Vineyard in Sonoma, nirvanha was reached. It was filled with kalamata olives, white pepper, roasted tomatoes, chiles, eggplant – all the flavors of the meal.  This is a great example of cooler climate syrah. You can find it at jazzcellars.com. There’s nothing like syrah with serious food.  Well-made ones age well, too, and the 2006’s seem to be working really nicely with this exceptionally bipolar summer weather.

From the San Antonio valley’s relatively warm climate, the 2006 Tre Gatti syrah from Old Curmudgeon vineyard is showing richly. To mark the beginning of hunting season, we paired it with some venison and chorizo burgers, slathered in chipotle catsup, banana peppers and sweet onions. The dark, lush, fleshy fruity velvetness of the syrah stood up to the rich, zingy meat. Paula Getzelman tells us,   “We haven’t even started harvest yet, a first in the annals of TGV history!” She thinks harvest may begin next week, at least two weeks late. Grenache will be the caboose on that grape train, perhaps close to October.

Assuming harvest doth begin, make Harvest 101 at McIntyre Vineyards part of your plans on Saturday, October 2 and October 9.  Doctor Steve will commence class at 10AM.  For reservations call:  Cheryl Warner at (831) 594-8759  or  Jackie Skinner at (831) 678-4845.

Interesting trends through the summer regarding wine consumption: domestic is up and imports are down. The strongest growth came from wines in the over $20 segment. The hottest selling varietals in terms of sales growth are sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio/gris and Riesling. Sangiovese is also making a major comeback for the first time in several years, and zinfandel sales are building strongly, right behind pinot noir (which is losing a wee bit of steam), while merlot continues to slump.

____________________

Submitted by Laura Ness, Her VineNess

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