Kinton Vineyards
Syrah
Santa Barbara County
Sta. Maria, California, U.S.A.
2004
14.3%
$13.39 -- Twin Liquors, Bee Cave, TX
Color: Beautiful, dark ruby
Nose: Blueberry, petrol, cherry,
Body: Medium to full
Front: Cherry, lime
Middle: Orange peel, plum, apple
Back: Coffee grounds, firm tannins
Burns clean?: Mostly
Cap: Cork
This has much of the style of Australian syrahs: big, bold, fruity, but dark and multilayered notwithstanding. I like this style, especially on a cold night and with old-school cooking. Some might find it too oaky, but it's getting reasonably old at this point, and I found the balance of fruit, acid, and secondary flavors pretty delightful. It's neither the smoothest nor the biggest Syrah out there; in the midpalate it backs off, a little, but I like the acidic fruit that you can taste when it does, so it doesn't bother me much, and the alcohol is reasonably under control.
Showing posts with label Syrahs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Syrahs. Show all posts
Friday, February 25, 2011
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Hahn Estates SLH Syrah
Hahn Winery
SLH
Syrah
Central Coast (Monterey - Sta. Lucia Highlands?)
Soledad, California, USA
2007
14.7%
$13.99 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Opaque blood red
Nose: Black plum, cherry, smoke from charcoal with lighter fluid
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Blueberry pie, cafe au lait
Middle: Cherry, venison, sage
Back: Mesquite, espresso
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Good lord. This wine makes you sit up straight. It's huge, sweet, smoky, strong (14.7? probably closer to 15), sweaty, salty. Oenorati will say that it's fake-tasting, like the synthesized flavors in soda. That may be true. And you may like it! Seriously, it's like blueberry sauce on roasted venison. I'll say this: it doesn't evolve much in the glass, and I'm searching for tannins and not finding much. But pair it with some brisket and blueberry pie, and you will be plenty happy.
SLH
Syrah
Central Coast (Monterey - Sta. Lucia Highlands?)
Soledad, California, USA
2007
14.7%
$13.99 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Opaque blood red
Nose: Black plum, cherry, smoke from charcoal with lighter fluid
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Blueberry pie, cafe au lait
Middle: Cherry, venison, sage
Back: Mesquite, espresso
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Good lord. This wine makes you sit up straight. It's huge, sweet, smoky, strong (14.7? probably closer to 15), sweaty, salty. Oenorati will say that it's fake-tasting, like the synthesized flavors in soda. That may be true. And you may like it! Seriously, it's like blueberry sauce on roasted venison. I'll say this: it doesn't evolve much in the glass, and I'm searching for tannins and not finding much. But pair it with some brisket and blueberry pie, and you will be plenty happy.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Eden Hall Shiraz Viognier
David Hall
Eden Hall
Shiraz Viognier
Single Vineyard
Eden Valley (Barossa Valley)
Springton, South Australia
2004
14.5%
$19.98 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark blood red
Nose: Blackberry jam, plum, cilantro
Body: Medium, creamy
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Ripe cherry, pepper, sage
Back: Coffee,
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Those who are closely following my every utterance will notice that I'm cheating.
I said I was done with the less-commonly consumed white varietal tasting, yet here we have a Viognier! It's just that it's also blended with Shiraz (95 Shiraz-5 Viognier for the curious). This is an Aussie experiment in a southern Rhone thing: if I remember correctly, for example, Cotes-du-Rhone wines can include a small percentage of white grapes, including Viognier.
This is unmistakably Australian, with big ripe fruit, strong personality, and that tangy thing at the end that I like so much in OZ wines. With a little ago on it, this I'd guess has calmed down a bit; I like it a lot, though it seems to lack a third level beyond the dark fruit and the tangyness. It's elegant, very easy to drink, and worth the price for a well-made, interesting wine. Tonight it was perfect paired with a chicken fajita soft taco.
Eden Hall
Shiraz Viognier
Single Vineyard
Eden Valley (Barossa Valley)
Springton, South Australia
2004
14.5%
$19.98 -- Costco, Austin, TX
Color: Dark blood red
Nose: Blackberry jam, plum, cilantro
Body: Medium, creamy
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Ripe cherry, pepper, sage
Back: Coffee,
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Those who are closely following my every utterance will notice that I'm cheating.
I said I was done with the less-commonly consumed white varietal tasting, yet here we have a Viognier! It's just that it's also blended with Shiraz (95 Shiraz-5 Viognier for the curious). This is an Aussie experiment in a southern Rhone thing: if I remember correctly, for example, Cotes-du-Rhone wines can include a small percentage of white grapes, including Viognier.
This is unmistakably Australian, with big ripe fruit, strong personality, and that tangy thing at the end that I like so much in OZ wines. With a little ago on it, this I'd guess has calmed down a bit; I like it a lot, though it seems to lack a third level beyond the dark fruit and the tangyness. It's elegant, very easy to drink, and worth the price for a well-made, interesting wine. Tonight it was perfect paired with a chicken fajita soft taco.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Chateau de Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône
Louis et Cherry Barruol
Chateau de Saint Cosme
Les Deux Albion
Côtes du Rhône
Syrah
Gigondas, France
2007
14.5%
$13.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX
Color: Deep purpley red
Nose: Cassis, strawberry jam, coffee
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, game, pepper
Back: A little heat, charcoal, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Like most of the '07 southern Rhone bottles I've had, this one is dense and rich, a big personality in the room. It's almost too intense for me, for a Côtes du Rhône; that it's all Syrah is interesting. I'd almost wait a year or more to try this again--or be prepared to drink it with some reasonably substantial food, perhaps something roasted and peppery. It'll take some age; I vacuum pumped it and tried it two days later and it had calmed down a bit, but was still lovely.
One of my followers has observed to me that I've been out for two weeks: indeed, in Napa Valley. When I get a few hours, I'll lay the latest on you from the tasting rooms there.
Chateau de Saint Cosme
Les Deux Albion
Côtes du Rhône
Syrah
Gigondas, France
2007
14.5%
$13.99 -- Spec's, Austin, TX
Color: Deep purpley red
Nose: Cassis, strawberry jam, coffee
Body: Medium
Front: Cherry
Middle: Licorice, game, pepper
Back: A little heat, charcoal, soft tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Like most of the '07 southern Rhone bottles I've had, this one is dense and rich, a big personality in the room. It's almost too intense for me, for a Côtes du Rhône; that it's all Syrah is interesting. I'd almost wait a year or more to try this again--or be prepared to drink it with some reasonably substantial food, perhaps something roasted and peppery. It'll take some age; I vacuum pumped it and tried it two days later and it had calmed down a bit, but was still lovely.
One of my followers has observed to me that I've been out for two weeks: indeed, in Napa Valley. When I get a few hours, I'll lay the latest on you from the tasting rooms there.
Monday, January 18, 2010
B. Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche
Bernard Levet
The nose on this wine will startle. But the first hint that it's a complex dealio should be that it doesn't taste like cat pee. And I think we've all tasted cat pee.
This is an elegant wine: it's not in your face, it's a contemplative number. It takes time and it takes focus. It was good with Shake-n-Bake pork chops, but not so great with the applesauce. (A remainder of the Gaunot Chardonnay was perfect with that.) But on its own, it's plenty of a taste extravaganza to keep you interested. Wait a minute: can you be extremely elegant? Isn't elegance the ability to be entrancing without extremes? It's like that, for those with an immunity to cat pee.
Rumor has it that the 2002 vintage was not good, on the whole, for this region. Still, my guess is that, given the balance in this glass, this wine will be really good in about four years, perhaps even a little longer. As the cat pee yields to the plum and the levels of spice and earth raise ever so slightly on the palate, it may be like being dragged face-down through the fields of deliciousness by the horses of delight.
Côte-Rôtie
La Chavaroche
Syrah
Ampuis, Rhone, France
2002
12.5%
$41.99 [$63] -- Grapevine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium peachy garnet
La Chavaroche
Syrah
Ampuis, Rhone, France
2002
12.5%
$41.99 [$63] -- Grapevine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium peachy garnet
Nose: Cat pee, blackberry jam, salmon
Body: Medium
Front: Tangy cherry
Middle: Blueberry pie, prune
Back: Cafe au lait, thyme, velvety tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is an elegant wine: it's not in your face, it's a contemplative number. It takes time and it takes focus. It was good with Shake-n-Bake pork chops, but not so great with the applesauce. (A remainder of the Gaunot Chardonnay was perfect with that.) But on its own, it's plenty of a taste extravaganza to keep you interested. Wait a minute: can you be extremely elegant? Isn't elegance the ability to be entrancing without extremes? It's like that, for those with an immunity to cat pee.
Rumor has it that the 2002 vintage was not good, on the whole, for this region. Still, my guess is that, given the balance in this glass, this wine will be really good in about four years, perhaps even a little longer. As the cat pee yields to the plum and the levels of spice and earth raise ever so slightly on the palate, it may be like being dragged face-down through the fields of deliciousness by the horses of delight.
Friday, December 18, 2009
J. Vidal Fleury Saint-Joseph
J. Vidal Fleury
Syrah
Saint-Joseph
Ampuis, France
2000
12.5%
$19.98 -- Grapevine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Violets, caramel, raspberry, thyme
Body: Light to medium
Front: Raspberry jam
Middle: Pepper, Horsey poo
Back: Orange, oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Vidal-Fleury is a French company owned by the Guigal family, and so this wine unsurprisingly has a lot of shared ground with Guigal wines. It's a classic southern Rhone profile, with a floral and earthy nose and a not-huge body with a delightfully diverse palate. Splendid with onion soup, and a complex, thought-inducing wine.
Drink this next to a Marquis Philips if you'd like an extraordinary demonstration of the flavor variations you can get in the Syrah grape.
Syrah
Saint-Joseph
Ampuis, France
2000
12.5%
$19.98 -- Grapevine Market, Austin, TX
Color: Medium garnet
Nose: Violets, caramel, raspberry, thyme
Body: Light to medium
Front: Raspberry jam
Middle: Pepper, Horsey poo
Back: Orange, oak
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
Vidal-Fleury is a French company owned by the Guigal family, and so this wine unsurprisingly has a lot of shared ground with Guigal wines. It's a classic southern Rhone profile, with a floral and earthy nose and a not-huge body with a delightfully diverse palate. Splendid with onion soup, and a complex, thought-inducing wine.
Drink this next to a Marquis Philips if you'd like an extraordinary demonstration of the flavor variations you can get in the Syrah grape.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz
Penfolds Wines
Shiraz
Magill, South Australia
2003
14.5%
$39.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX
Color: Inky red
Nose: Blackberry jam, smoke, eucalyptus
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Cassis
Middle: Raspberry, mint
Back: Chocolate, dusty tannins, clove
Burns clean?:
Cap: Cork
This is a beautifully structured, rich, but subtle wine. It needs a bit of time open, to be sure, and will cellar for a goodly while longer. It feels a little closed, to me, compared to the last time I had it, so the 2003 may have gone a bit dormant. Then again, I paired it with chili, the spice of which might have prejudiced the vino. In the grand scheme of things, this is a much more elegant, French-style Syrah than one often gets (at least if one drinks the Syrahs that Caveat Emptyer has reviewed!) from Australia. Dave Brubeck was on the stereo tonight--a good match for the wine.
Shiraz
Magill, South Australia
2003
14.5%
$39.98 -- Twin Liquors, Austin, TX
Color: Inky red
Nose: Blackberry jam, smoke, eucalyptus
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Cassis
Middle: Raspberry, mint
Back: Chocolate, dusty tannins, clove
Burns clean?:
Cap: Cork
This is a beautifully structured, rich, but subtle wine. It needs a bit of time open, to be sure, and will cellar for a goodly while longer. It feels a little closed, to me, compared to the last time I had it, so the 2003 may have gone a bit dormant. Then again, I paired it with chili, the spice of which might have prejudiced the vino. In the grand scheme of things, this is a much more elegant, French-style Syrah than one often gets (at least if one drinks the Syrahs that Caveat Emptyer has reviewed!) from Australia. Dave Brubeck was on the stereo tonight--a good match for the wine.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Pillar Box Reserve
Henry's Drive Vignerons
Pillar Box Reserve
Shiraz
Padthaway, Australia
2007
15%
$15.98 -- Wine Library, Springfield, NJ
Color: Opaque blood red
Nose: Clove, blackberry jam, a little heat
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Blueberries, cafe au lait
Middle: Cherry, pepper, sage
Back: Asphalt, cedar
Burns clean?: Yes, mostly
Cap: Screwcap
Break out the roasted beets and the grilled lamb and the syrah. It's winter. Pillar Box is, I assume (loyal readers, spank me if I am wrong), sort of a "second label" of Henry's Drive, which makes a killer syrah. Back in the day I had the Pillar Box Red, and found it lovely, if uncomplex. This is a step up in every way, and not terrifically more expensive.
One of the most interesting things about it to me is the texture of the wine. The flavor profile isn't all that uncommon in Australian syrah. There's a bit more going on in it than, say, the Marquis Philips wines, but they're a dollar or two cheaper and easier to find. But they don't have the elegant roundness, the creamitude, of this bottle.
Pillar Box Reserve
Shiraz
Padthaway, Australia
2007
15%
$15.98 -- Wine Library, Springfield, NJ
Color: Opaque blood red
Nose: Clove, blackberry jam, a little heat
Body: Full and creamy
Front: Blueberries, cafe au lait
Middle: Cherry, pepper, sage
Back: Asphalt, cedar
Burns clean?: Yes, mostly
Cap: Screwcap
Break out the roasted beets and the grilled lamb and the syrah. It's winter. Pillar Box is, I assume (loyal readers, spank me if I am wrong), sort of a "second label" of Henry's Drive, which makes a killer syrah. Back in the day I had the Pillar Box Red, and found it lovely, if uncomplex. This is a step up in every way, and not terrifically more expensive.
One of the most interesting things about it to me is the texture of the wine. The flavor profile isn't all that uncommon in Australian syrah. There's a bit more going on in it than, say, the Marquis Philips wines, but they're a dollar or two cheaper and easier to find. But they don't have the elegant roundness, the creamitude, of this bottle.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz
Howard Park Wines
Scotsdale
Great Southern
Shiraz
Cowaramup, Western Australia2004
14.5%
$35.99 -- Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cheese fondue, pepper
Body: Full
Front: Currant
Middle: Cream, chocolate
Back: Blueberry, tannins, aromatic herbs
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
This is an enormous, rich, stunning wine. It's got nice acid with the curranty flavors, backed by a real creaminess and a hint of spiciness. This may be the peak of this vintage; it flattens out after about an hour open. But with about twenty minutes of air, it's spectacular: serve to friends!
This evening's accompaniment was Kat Edmonson on the stereo, and grilled rack of lamb with grilled yellow squash and a dried cherry red wine sauce on the plate. The lamb brings out the spice in the wine, even as the wine brings out the richness in the food--a happy pairing.
Scotsdale
Great Southern
Shiraz
Cowaramup, Western Australia2004
14.5%
$35.99 -- Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Cheese fondue, pepper
Body: Full
Front: Currant
Middle: Cream, chocolate
Back: Blueberry, tannins, aromatic herbs
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
This is an enormous, rich, stunning wine. It's got nice acid with the curranty flavors, backed by a real creaminess and a hint of spiciness. This may be the peak of this vintage; it flattens out after about an hour open. But with about twenty minutes of air, it's spectacular: serve to friends!
This evening's accompaniment was Kat Edmonson on the stereo, and grilled rack of lamb with grilled yellow squash and a dried cherry red wine sauce on the plate. The lamb brings out the spice in the wine, even as the wine brings out the richness in the food--a happy pairing.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Martin Syrah
Martin Family Vineyards
Syrah
Estate
Dry Creek ValleyHealdsburg, California, USA2004
14.2%
$16.00 -- Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Opaque purple
Nose: Sour blackberries, with a delightful stank on 'em
Body: Full
Front: Tangy blackberry
Middle: Plum
Back: Roasted coffee beans, cinderblock tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a delightful wine and an incredible deal. I can't help but think that it's on the edge of its useful life, so drink it now! But the nose is simply enchanting, and the rest of it packs a punch across the dark fruity range.
I'm breaking the rules tonight, by not having any food to take this wine with, but it's been a hell of a week, so I cut myself loose. I'm listening to Jace Everett's record RED REVELATIONS, and this briary, out-of-control wine goes particularly well with his track "One of Them."
Syrah
Estate
Dry Creek ValleyHealdsburg, California, USA2004
14.2%
$16.00 -- Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Opaque purple
Nose: Sour blackberries, with a delightful stank on 'em
Body: Full
Front: Tangy blackberry
Middle: Plum
Back: Roasted coffee beans, cinderblock tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a delightful wine and an incredible deal. I can't help but think that it's on the edge of its useful life, so drink it now! But the nose is simply enchanting, and the rest of it packs a punch across the dark fruity range.
I'm breaking the rules tonight, by not having any food to take this wine with, but it's been a hell of a week, so I cut myself loose. I'm listening to Jace Everett's record RED REVELATIONS, and this briary, out-of-control wine goes particularly well with his track "One of Them."
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Berthoud Syrah
Berthoud Vineyards & Winery
Syrah
Sonoma ValleyCalifornia, USA2003
13.8%
$28.00 -- Mayo Family, Glen Ellen, CA
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Plum and mash
Body: Full
Front: Sour cherries
Middle: Dark roasted coffee, caramel
Back: Thyme, tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
It was a damn noisy late afternoon in the Mayo tasting room (they stay open until 6:30, well past most wineries) when I tried this wine, but I think I heard that it's the private label of that company's winemaker. This is some seriously French stuff; dark, earthy, and brooding.
This is not a wine for everyone. It was delicious with the roasted chicken and avocado of tonight's meal, but really, it's got a strong character. At about an hour of decanting it was at its most subtle and multilayered. There's not much more of it, honestly--they only made three barrels, to my math about 900 bottles--but it's a delight.
Syrah
Sonoma ValleyCalifornia, USA2003
13.8%
$28.00 -- Mayo Family, Glen Ellen, CA
Color: Deep garnet
Nose: Plum and mash
Body: Full
Front: Sour cherries
Middle: Dark roasted coffee, caramel
Back: Thyme, tannins
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
It was a damn noisy late afternoon in the Mayo tasting room (they stay open until 6:30, well past most wineries) when I tried this wine, but I think I heard that it's the private label of that company's winemaker. This is some seriously French stuff; dark, earthy, and brooding.
This is not a wine for everyone. It was delicious with the roasted chicken and avocado of tonight's meal, but really, it's got a strong character. At about an hour of decanting it was at its most subtle and multilayered. There's not much more of it, honestly--they only made three barrels, to my math about 900 bottles--but it's a delight.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Razor's Edge Shiraz
Razor's Edge Wines
Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Adelaide, Australia
2006
14.5%
$11.69 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Deep red, purple tinge
Nose: Spicy blueberries and fish sauce
Body: Medium to full
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Mocha
Back: Tobacco, a little wood
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Inspired by criticism from a reader of this blog, and by the excellent value represented by the Razor's Edge Shiraz-Grenache, I decided to try the company's straight-up Shiraz. "Straight Up Shiraz"--that's a pretty good label. I claim it! It's deliciously priapic.
At any rate, way better than "Razor's Edge," especially for something as peaceful as wine. I could launch into all kinds of poststructuralist qualifications--it's a straight razor on the label, so it's about shaving, ostensibly, potentially revealing, as in elegantly conveyed terroir, the "true face" of the soil--or historicist ones, claiming the back label's rationale for the name. Except that the back label's explanation is kind of trite and lame. So I say: change the name!
Still, what really matters is in the bottle, and about that I have few complaints. I think I prefer the blend to this, but it's up there with Luchador and the various Marquis Phillips wines in terms of good stuff at this price. I'm enjoying listening to Denitia Odigie's "Pioneer" as I drink it.
Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Adelaide, Australia
2006
14.5%
$11.69 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Deep red, purple tinge
Nose: Spicy blueberries and fish sauce
Body: Medium to full
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Mocha
Back: Tobacco, a little wood
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Inspired by criticism from a reader of this blog, and by the excellent value represented by the Razor's Edge Shiraz-Grenache, I decided to try the company's straight-up Shiraz. "Straight Up Shiraz"--that's a pretty good label. I claim it! It's deliciously priapic.
At any rate, way better than "Razor's Edge," especially for something as peaceful as wine. I could launch into all kinds of poststructuralist qualifications--it's a straight razor on the label, so it's about shaving, ostensibly, potentially revealing, as in elegantly conveyed terroir, the "true face" of the soil--or historicist ones, claiming the back label's rationale for the name. Except that the back label's explanation is kind of trite and lame. So I say: change the name!
Still, what really matters is in the bottle, and about that I have few complaints. I think I prefer the blend to this, but it's up there with Luchador and the various Marquis Phillips wines in terms of good stuff at this price. I'm enjoying listening to Denitia Odigie's "Pioneer" as I drink it.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Henry's Drive Dead Letter Office
Henry's Drive Vignerons
Dead Letter Office
Shiraz
McLaren Vale & Padthaway, Australia
2005
15%
$26.99 -- Rum Runner, Tucson, AZ
Color: Dark red
Nose: Cherry vanilla cola
Body: Medium to full
Front: Tart cherries, blueberry
Middle: Mocha pencils
Back: Mint-wrapper cedar
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Henry's Drive makes some good wine. But of course, you never know! If it were baseball, this wine would bat fourth: not a lot of complexity, but plenty of power, likely to hit home runs with some drinkers and strike out with others. Drink it with friends, for two reasons (beyond the usual sociability): first, to watch the reactions, and second, because it has enough alcohol to put you in the hospital if you do it alone.
Now the perfect match, musically, for this wine, is Jace Everett's song "Bad Things." Given that Mr. Everett's tune is the theme song for the HBO vampire series True Blood, the color of this wine seems about right...
Dead Letter Office
Shiraz
McLaren Vale & Padthaway, Australia
2005
15%
$26.99 -- Rum Runner, Tucson, AZ
Color: Dark red
Nose: Cherry vanilla cola
Body: Medium to full
Front: Tart cherries, blueberry
Middle: Mocha pencils
Back: Mint-wrapper cedar
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
Henry's Drive makes some good wine. But of course, you never know! If it were baseball, this wine would bat fourth: not a lot of complexity, but plenty of power, likely to hit home runs with some drinkers and strike out with others. Drink it with friends, for two reasons (beyond the usual sociability): first, to watch the reactions, and second, because it has enough alcohol to put you in the hospital if you do it alone.
Now the perfect match, musically, for this wine, is Jace Everett's song "Bad Things." Given that Mr. Everett's tune is the theme song for the HBO vampire series True Blood, the color of this wine seems about right...
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Luchador Shiraz
R Wines
Luchador
Shiraz
Barossa Valley
Eastwood, Australia
2006
15.5%
$13.88 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Dark ruby
Nose: Charred lamb, blueberries
Body: Full
Front: Creamy blueberries
Middle: Gravelly chocolate
Back: Maple syrup, sawdust
Burns clean?:
Cap: Screwcap
Another Grateful Palate import, and another stellar deal. The nose on this one is delovely; complex and strange. They bill this as a non-wine-expert's wine, and without question you'll like it if you want a wine that'll please a wide range of people. Equally true, it would seem odd to bring a wine with this label--an homage to the Mexican wrestler Malo--to a dinner party. But honestly, it'll make anybody happy who likes a good Shiraz: it's layered, good with food, and so strong that one glass will make the truth begin to flow like money around the mat at a wrestling match.
Tough, too, is Tom Waits's "Filipino Box Spring Hog," which is a perfect pairing with this wine. Just note that this sucker is 15.5%, so don't try to drink even one glass of it within the space of that song...
NB: I decanted 1/2 the bottle and put the cap back on almost immediately. 24 hours later, what was in the bottle tasted like caramel and chocolate. No fruit, no spice: dessert. Really, really good dessert.
Luchador
Shiraz
Barossa Valley
Eastwood, Australia
2006
15.5%
$13.88 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Dark ruby
Nose: Charred lamb, blueberries
Body: Full
Front: Creamy blueberries
Middle: Gravelly chocolate
Back: Maple syrup, sawdust
Burns clean?:
Cap: Screwcap
Another Grateful Palate import, and another stellar deal. The nose on this one is delovely; complex and strange. They bill this as a non-wine-expert's wine, and without question you'll like it if you want a wine that'll please a wide range of people. Equally true, it would seem odd to bring a wine with this label--an homage to the Mexican wrestler Malo--to a dinner party. But honestly, it'll make anybody happy who likes a good Shiraz: it's layered, good with food, and so strong that one glass will make the truth begin to flow like money around the mat at a wrestling match.
Tough, too, is Tom Waits's "Filipino Box Spring Hog," which is a perfect pairing with this wine. Just note that this sucker is 15.5%, so don't try to drink even one glass of it within the space of that song...
NB: I decanted 1/2 the bottle and put the cap back on almost immediately. 24 hours later, what was in the bottle tasted like caramel and chocolate. No fruit, no spice: dessert. Really, really good dessert.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Waters Syrah
Waters Winery
Syrah
Columbia Valley (Yakima AVA)
Walla Walla, WA
2006
14.2%
$25.88 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Dark red with a purple spectrum; notably beautiful
Nose: Blueberry pie
Body: Full
Front: Creamy berries
Middle: Pepper and lamb
Back: Marmalade, a hint of leather--a long finish
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a really nice Syrah. My avid reader will note that I do not drink a lot of Washington wine. My friend Todd keeps trying to educate me about it, and, indeed, I like many wines from there. If I ever had the wherewithal to make notes while drinking wine with Todd, there'd be more reviews of things like Andrew Will on here. My excuse is that I'm young to serious wine drinking and am totally crushing on the 2005 California Cabernets. My bad.
So tonight I set out to balance things a bit. I threw difficult food at this wine. Brisket, Texas beans (plenty spicy), a green salad with oil and vinegar and tomatoes that didn't live up in taste to their appeal to the eye. Even the music I threw at it was difficult: Chris Isaak's Baja Sessions, whose laid-backness seems totally unsuited to bravura Syrah, the wine of ecstatic Hafiz. This Syrah was great with everything. Fruitier, with the beans; elegantly balanced and soft with the beef; structured and old-world-(Rhone)-like with the salad; joyfully provocative in the face of Isaak's mopiness about Mexican beauties.
This winery makes single-vineyard Syrahs as well (though if I'm reading the website right, this one might technically count as a 1v Minick Vineyard wine)--I'm very curious now about these. Lurking all over the palate of this wine are little hints of this and that odd flavor; it's like a conversation with a well-traveled, but strong, personality. Perhaps I should take a hint and spend a little more time in Washington.
Syrah
Columbia Valley (Yakima AVA)
Walla Walla, WA
2006
14.2%
$25.88 at Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Dark red with a purple spectrum; notably beautiful
Nose: Blueberry pie
Body: Full
Front: Creamy berries
Middle: Pepper and lamb
Back: Marmalade, a hint of leather--a long finish
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
This is a really nice Syrah. My avid reader will note that I do not drink a lot of Washington wine. My friend Todd keeps trying to educate me about it, and, indeed, I like many wines from there. If I ever had the wherewithal to make notes while drinking wine with Todd, there'd be more reviews of things like Andrew Will on here. My excuse is that I'm young to serious wine drinking and am totally crushing on the 2005 California Cabernets. My bad.
So tonight I set out to balance things a bit. I threw difficult food at this wine. Brisket, Texas beans (plenty spicy), a green salad with oil and vinegar and tomatoes that didn't live up in taste to their appeal to the eye. Even the music I threw at it was difficult: Chris Isaak's Baja Sessions, whose laid-backness seems totally unsuited to bravura Syrah, the wine of ecstatic Hafiz. This Syrah was great with everything. Fruitier, with the beans; elegantly balanced and soft with the beef; structured and old-world-(Rhone)-like with the salad; joyfully provocative in the face of Isaak's mopiness about Mexican beauties.
This winery makes single-vineyard Syrahs as well (though if I'm reading the website right, this one might technically count as a 1v Minick Vineyard wine)--I'm very curious now about these. Lurking all over the palate of this wine are little hints of this and that odd flavor; it's like a conversation with a well-traveled, but strong, personality. Perhaps I should take a hint and spend a little more time in Washington.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz
Mollydooker Wines
The Boxer
Shiraz
McLaren Vale, Australia
2006
16.0%
$23.99 in Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Inky strawberry
Nose: Berries, graham cracker, a little heat
Body: Full
Front: Cassis
Middle: Ice cream sandwich
Back: Blueberry, pepper
Burns clean?: Yes, if you don’t drink too much
Cap: Screwcap
This another excellent wine made by Sarah and Sparky Marquis (which I think is pronounced markwiss). It’s a whopper, true to its name. But the metaphor breaks down quickly: this is not one to go into the ring with alone. Bring friends and tag team unless you are a Fight Club aficionado. Strong as it is, the texture is soft and sparkly.
Like most things, it needs to breathe a bit. Once it opens up it’s astonishingly complex. If you get a newer one, consider this unusual recommendation by the winery. And I’m serious about the ice cream sandwich, by all that is holy. Oddly a good combination, all things considered, with the Stilton I’m eating tonight from the world-famous Wheatsville Co-op.
Note, 13 January 2010: I tried the 2008, with a chicken and chorizo stew. Raspberry jam, black cherry, pie, a little hint of mint, and plenty of oak lending a nice creaminess (like the 2006), without too much of a milk flavor. I think I like this more, actually, than the 2006, and it has enough fruitiness in there to develop for a little while.
The Boxer
Shiraz
McLaren Vale, Australia
2006
16.0%
$23.99 in Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Inky strawberry
Nose: Berries, graham cracker, a little heat
Body: Full
Front: Cassis
Middle: Ice cream sandwich
Back: Blueberry, pepper
Burns clean?: Yes, if you don’t drink too much
Cap: Screwcap
This another excellent wine made by Sarah and Sparky Marquis (which I think is pronounced markwiss). It’s a whopper, true to its name. But the metaphor breaks down quickly: this is not one to go into the ring with alone. Bring friends and tag team unless you are a Fight Club aficionado. Strong as it is, the texture is soft and sparkly.
Like most things, it needs to breathe a bit. Once it opens up it’s astonishingly complex. If you get a newer one, consider this unusual recommendation by the winery. And I’m serious about the ice cream sandwich, by all that is holy. Oddly a good combination, all things considered, with the Stilton I’m eating tonight from the world-famous Wheatsville Co-op.
Note, 13 January 2010: I tried the 2008, with a chicken and chorizo stew. Raspberry jam, black cherry, pie, a little hint of mint, and plenty of oak lending a nice creaminess (like the 2006), without too much of a milk flavor. I think I like this more, actually, than the 2006, and it has enough fruitiness in there to develop for a little while.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Strong Arms Shiraz
R Wines
Strong Arms Shiraz
Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Eastwood, Australia2006
15.5%
$11.99 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Deep red
Nose: Blueberry with a hint of cinnamon
Body: Full
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Dirt, creamy vanilla
Back: Cedar, okra?
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
One of my bloggin' colleagues writes that at some point in your wine-drinking days, "you stop following individual grapes or regions and begin chasing individual winemakers and importers." I believe we're on the same page when I say that it's not that the latter two entities are a better indicator of quality--but that you're probably in tune with their taste. Tuning is more important, because wine is for pleasure.
The first time I really asked with interest who an importer was, it was just after sharing a bottle of Henry's Drive Shiraz with my friend Todd. Good lord, it was good, and I'd never seen it before. THE GRATEFUL PALATE, OXNARD, CA. Watching for this on the back label has never led me astray, and it didn't with Strong Arms Shiraz, either.
A lot of wines have groovy packaging and not much else. In the case of this wine and the others imported by Grateful Palate, it's an attention to style that extends to every part of the operation, apparently, from grapes to fact sheets to leveraging value: good luck finding another $12 wine with more complexity, subtlety, and intensity than this. Everyone seems to benefit from this outfit; it's like magic--check out not just the label art, by Mel Kadel, but the way Grateful Palate took the time A) to go for six different images and B) make a separate PDF out of each.
(I've seen Kadel's art compared to Sendak and Gorey, but it seems to me perhaps as much like a Kathe Kollwitz, cheered up by Roald Dahl, collaborates with Shel Silverstein type of thing. Sick, wrong, and lovely!)
Food matters to The Grateful Palate. The best sign of their attention to detail is that they have not only great wines, but a Bacon of the Month Club. I didn't do justice to the wine by pairing it with cajun roasted chicken (though the onions came out splendidly), but with edamame (also lightly cajun, just to be perverse) the shiraz was harmonic.
Strong Arms Shiraz
Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Eastwood, Australia2006
15.5%
$11.99 -- Whole Foods, Austin, TX
Color: Deep red
Nose: Blueberry with a hint of cinnamon
Body: Full
Front: Blueberries
Middle: Dirt, creamy vanilla
Back: Cedar, okra?
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Screwcap
One of my bloggin' colleagues writes that at some point in your wine-drinking days, "you stop following individual grapes or regions and begin chasing individual winemakers and importers." I believe we're on the same page when I say that it's not that the latter two entities are a better indicator of quality--but that you're probably in tune with their taste. Tuning is more important, because wine is for pleasure.
The first time I really asked with interest who an importer was, it was just after sharing a bottle of Henry's Drive Shiraz with my friend Todd. Good lord, it was good, and I'd never seen it before. THE GRATEFUL PALATE, OXNARD, CA. Watching for this on the back label has never led me astray, and it didn't with Strong Arms Shiraz, either.
A lot of wines have groovy packaging and not much else. In the case of this wine and the others imported by Grateful Palate, it's an attention to style that extends to every part of the operation, apparently, from grapes to fact sheets to leveraging value: good luck finding another $12 wine with more complexity, subtlety, and intensity than this. Everyone seems to benefit from this outfit; it's like magic--check out not just the label art, by Mel Kadel, but the way Grateful Palate took the time A) to go for six different images and B) make a separate PDF out of each.
(I've seen Kadel's art compared to Sendak and Gorey, but it seems to me perhaps as much like a Kathe Kollwitz, cheered up by Roald Dahl, collaborates with Shel Silverstein type of thing. Sick, wrong, and lovely!)
Food matters to The Grateful Palate. The best sign of their attention to detail is that they have not only great wines, but a Bacon of the Month Club. I didn't do justice to the wine by pairing it with cajun roasted chicken (though the onions came out splendidly), but with edamame (also lightly cajun, just to be perverse) the shiraz was harmonic.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy
Mollydooker Wines
Blue Eyed Boy
Shiraz
McLaren Vale, Australia
2006
16.0%
$45.50 -- Pastiche Wine Shop, Tucson, AZ
Color: Deep creamy red
Nose: Raspberry, brambles, heat
Body: Full
Front: Blueberries, cream
Middle: White pepper
Back: Plums, jam, perhaps a little cocoa
Burns clean?: Somewhat; don't drink too much at a sitting.
Cap: Screwcap
This is a big, playful wine, true to the Sparky Marquis style. If there are tannins, I can't taste them. It's not the synesthetic experience that a wine like Possum is, but it's spicy and jammy and dark out of all proportion to what is normally understood to go by the name of wine. Let it sit open a bit; it's hot and tight out of the bottle.
Blue Eyed Boy
Shiraz
McLaren Vale, Australia
2006
16.0%
$45.50 -- Pastiche Wine Shop, Tucson, AZ
Color: Deep creamy red
Nose: Raspberry, brambles, heat
Body: Full
Front: Blueberries, cream
Middle: White pepper
Back: Plums, jam, perhaps a little cocoa
Burns clean?: Somewhat; don't drink too much at a sitting.
Cap: Screwcap
This is a big, playful wine, true to the Sparky Marquis style. If there are tannins, I can't taste them. It's not the synesthetic experience that a wine like Possum is, but it's spicy and jammy and dark out of all proportion to what is normally understood to go by the name of wine. Let it sit open a bit; it's hot and tight out of the bottle.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Possums Vineyard Shiraz
Possums McLaren Vineyards
ShirazMcLaren Vale, Australia
2003
15%
$25 – Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Deep red, a slight tinge of purple
Nose: Creamy, vanilla, coffee
Body: Dense
Front: Creamy caramel
Middle: Pepper, coffee, cedar
Back: Maybe a little plum
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
The cork on this wine smelled so good when I pulled it that I almost ate it for dinner. There's only the remotest hint that this substance was derived from fruit. It's an astounding synesthesia. At this percentage, it ought to be hot, but there's none of that. This is what cigars ought to taste like. This is what dessert ought to taste like. This is what everything ought to taste like.
Note (Dec. 2, 2007): A friend shared the 2002 vintage of this wine with me last night and it was fabulastic; even better than the '03.
ShirazMcLaren Vale, Australia
2003
15%
$25 – Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Deep red, a slight tinge of purple
Nose: Creamy, vanilla, coffee
Body: Dense
Front: Creamy caramel
Middle: Pepper, coffee, cedar
Back: Maybe a little plum
Burns clean?: Yes
Cap: Cork
The cork on this wine smelled so good when I pulled it that I almost ate it for dinner. There's only the remotest hint that this substance was derived from fruit. It's an astounding synesthesia. At this percentage, it ought to be hot, but there's none of that. This is what cigars ought to taste like. This is what dessert ought to taste like. This is what everything ought to taste like.
Note (Dec. 2, 2007): A friend shared the 2002 vintage of this wine with me last night and it was fabulastic; even better than the '03.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Henry's Drive Shiraz
Henry's Drive Vignerons
Shiraz
Padthaway, Australia
2003
16%
$36 – Somewhere in Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Thick ruby red, a very slight tinge of purple
Nose: Almost amarettoey, cedar, surprisingly unhot given the %
Body: Full
Front: Creamy cassis
Middle: Spicy--outright peppery, then just a peek of something flowery like honeysuckle, even
Back: A trifle hot; but like a sipping whiskey--wood, leathery like a football. That's right, I said football. An American football.
Burns clean?: Yes; in fact, might be a bit binding!
Cap: Cork
The transitions between the structural stages of this wine are very, very smooth. The hotness in the end of the taste fades after it's been open awhile, and that's when you can get in trouble, because it stays smooth and gets even more complex. There's something slightly overripe (maybe meaty?) in the nose that makes the bouquet really interesting; I'm as happy to sniff it as to drink it. This is made by the Australian half of the Aussie-CA combo who make Marquis-Phillips wines, and like the Sarah's Blend (named for Sarah Marquis) it's a whopper. I like this one better, though.
Shiraz
Padthaway, Australia
2003
16%
$36 – Somewhere in Chapel Hill, NC
Color: Thick ruby red, a very slight tinge of purple
Nose: Almost amarettoey, cedar, surprisingly unhot given the %
Body: Full
Front: Creamy cassis
Middle: Spicy--outright peppery, then just a peek of something flowery like honeysuckle, even
Back: A trifle hot; but like a sipping whiskey--wood, leathery like a football. That's right, I said football. An American football.
Burns clean?: Yes; in fact, might be a bit binding!
Cap: Cork
The transitions between the structural stages of this wine are very, very smooth. The hotness in the end of the taste fades after it's been open awhile, and that's when you can get in trouble, because it stays smooth and gets even more complex. There's something slightly overripe (maybe meaty?) in the nose that makes the bouquet really interesting; I'm as happy to sniff it as to drink it. This is made by the Australian half of the Aussie-CA combo who make Marquis-Phillips wines, and like the Sarah's Blend (named for Sarah Marquis) it's a whopper. I like this one better, though.
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