Come for the Wine: August 2024

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

Varietal of the Month: Syrah

Is Syrah the Red Wine Supernova? Very possibly, yes! Yet for many years Syrah, a medium bodied to full-bodied dry red Rhône varietal, was ignored by consumers and it struggled to find a place at the table. Today, winemakers embrace the inherent wild nature of the grape and coax it to its full natural expression of flavors from bright to savory, making wines of great structure and complexity with a balance of fruit, tannin, acidity and alcohol. Syrah is a many splendored thing, a poem of scents, flavors and textures; it’s a varietal worthy of your attention.

Here are capsule reviews of Syrah you may find along the Wine Road

Alexander Valley Vineyards 2019 Syrah, Alexander Valley

The Alexander Valley Vineyards 2019 Syrah presents as a dark violet color in the glass. Although this wine’s roots are Californian, from the Alexander Valley, it has the pulse and heartbeat of the Rhône. On the nose it’s deep and earthy with notes of menthol and herbs de Provence, green peppercorn, black cherry and sweet tobacco. On the palate, bright acidity and juiciness prevails with notes of blackberry and raspberry. A touch of white pepper and a meaty quality, typical of Rhône Syrah, balance the fine tannins along with a lingering black olive note on the finish. The sub $30 list price is an exceptional value.

$26

ABV 14%

Balletto 2019 Syrah BCD Vineyard Russian River Valley

The Balletto 2019 Syrah from the BCD Vineyard in the Russian River Valley is 100% Syrah made from the Estrella River clone. So what’s that mean to you? Probably nothing. But once you taste it you’ll want to take note and seek it out again. On the nose, a rich earthy elixir of black plum, ripe blackberry, clove and black pepper with notes of coffee bean, dark chocolate and sassafras. On the palate, the lively blackberry comes to the fore, along with rich flavors of blueberry and black cherry. Fine sandy tannins build to a long satisfying finish with notes of mocha and a hint of black olive. Enjoyable right now, but it is destined to deepen and develop with age.

$36

ABV 13.9%

J. Rickards Winery 2020 Syrah Furlong Vineyard, Alexander Valley

The J. Rickards Winery 2020 Syrah from the Furlong Vineyard in Alexander Valley is co-fermented with 4% Viognier. On the nose, plum sauce, black current, and black pepper, along with subtle notes of cedar, menthol and sweet tobacco that conjured in my mind an adorable hamster smoking a Salem. (But that’s just my frame of reference.) Rich and robust, this is a fleshy and richly flavored Syrah with flavors of plum, blackberry, mocha, mint, and chaparral. Wonderful balance and structure with fine sandy tannins that lift the deep flavors and deliver a nice round finish.

ABV 14.6%

Peterson 2016 Syrah Gravity Flow Block Dry Creek Valley

The Peterson 2016 Syrah Gravity Flow Block from the Dry Creek Valley is composed of 93% Syrah that is co-fermented with 7% Viognier. Co-fermenting Viognier with Syrah is time-honored method employed in the Rhône Valley to offer stability to the wine, but it also subtly enhances the floral and fruit notes. On the nose an exciting collision of earthy blackberry, dark plum and brambles, along with savory scents of mushroom, cardamom and sassafras. On the palate, a soft caress of minty sagebrush, ripe black cherry, mocha and boysenberry. This bold scent profile coupled with a plush mouthfeel is the essence of the descriptor— “an iron fist in a velvet glove”—it’s robust yet elegant and refined at the same time.

$48

ABV 14.7%

Selby 2019 Syrah Dry Creek Valley

The Selby 2019 Syrah from Dry Creek Valley is alive with texture and flavor, with all the earmarks of a fine savory Syrah. On the nose, chocolate covered blueberries with a touch of mint and green peppercorn. On the palate, smooth and rich with bright juicy blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, cranberry and plum sauce. It’s harmonious and balanced, with medium body and a distinct and savory black olive note on the long velvety finish.

$38

ABV 14.4%

Spicy Vines 2021 Syrah Dragon’s Kiss Sierra Foothills

The Spicy Vines 2021 Syrah Dragon’s Kiss is from Le Mulet Rouge, a high elevation vineyard in the Sierra Foothills. The nose is softly perfumed with chocolate, sweet tobacco, clove, a whiff of leather and peppercorn. On the palate it’s chewy and tart with plum sauce, mocha, boysenberry and tangy black olive. Soft powdery tannins spread across the tongue and palate with a plumy rich meatiness and a touch of mint on the long earthy finish.

$48

ABV 15.1%