Argentina also dabbles in Syrah. Mendoza is a high elevation desert with long growing seasons and results in a terroir driven distinction. (That means the wine tastes like the place from where the grapes were grown; every place a different taste). Next up is South Africa where the star of the show at a recent Decanter Wine Tasting was Shiraz. The general comments included “South Africa has one foot in the Old World and one in the new, balancing Old World restraint with some New World upfront fruit”. Sounds good to me. I like my wine to taste like fruit seeing as it is made from grapes. The Dutch who settled the Cape in the late 17th Century brought the vines to South Africa. After the apartheid, focus turned away from quantity to quality. Major areas are Paarl, Stellenbosch, and Swartland. Look for olive and briar characteristics. (Chewed on any briar recently?!; tastes woody) Typically no new oak is used so vanilla is not evident. Try one from Franschhoek Valley to see what I mean. Bet you thought I would never get to United States and the wonderful growing areas of Washington State and California. Washington’s cool nights are perfect for growing Syrah. The balance of fruit and acidity makes this a perfect food wine. The wines have rich fruit and earth flavors with a finish that goes on and on. The style is closer to the Northern Rhone. Washington gets one hour more sunlight than Napa, and that stretches out the growing season allowing the fruit to ripen more slowly and evenly. 15 years ago, Syrah scarcely existed here. Today it is renowned. Not all these wines are value priced, however. For a real treat, try Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog $70. For an every day wine, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cline, and Hogue will fit any budget nicely,
Moving southward, Alameda, home to JC Cellars, makes a wonderful Syrah from the Syrah Santa Barbara County Rodney’s Vineyard ($30). And let’s not forget Paso Robles, and its Edna Valley. This is again a cooler, coastal wine growing region and top names are Justin, Austin Hope, Eberle, Meridian, and Gravity Hills. The Arroyo Grande area has tripled in area over the past 10 years and produces some fabulous Syrahs. Look for Alban. Overall, smart buys include Chalone, Joseph Phelps, and Rosenblum. Vintage does matter so check out a vintage chart or call your local wine geek before shelling out $40+ dollars for a bottle. Our tour of the world ends up in Cyprus. Ever tried a Cypriot Shiraz? Not easy to find, but thought I would mention it as way of showing that Syrah/Shiraz is a world traveler. One final word on Syrah. It is not Petite Syrah. That is an entirely different red grape and I guarantee there is nothing petite about it. More on that subject another time. Food pairing with Syrah/Shiraz is quite straight forward. Where else would a big red wine go for a good time but to the grill? Grilled vegetables, olive tapenade, and anything with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and mint round out the steak and game. Short ribs, and lamb with black pepper sauce is especially wonderful Dry firm cheese as well as blue cheese pair nicely also.
Wine Spectator said “Maybe all Syrah needs (in California) Sept/Oct2008
San Diego
Continuing our tour around the world, Chile makes a lovely Syrah. Merlot was the first choice of Chilean wine drinkers for ages, and then they found out that the grapes were probably not Merlot, but were Carmenere. Now Syrah is starting to shine. Currently the region to look for is Maipo, in particular the Tabali and Tamaya areas as well as Limari. The grape name will be found on the label, hurrah!
is a juicy role in a movie, a la Pinot Noir in Sideways, to spread the work and jumpstart its reputation”. Movie aside, I believe that Syrah has found its teeth in the go-to wine of the American red wine drinker. The infamous Rhone Rangers (read Randall Graham of Bonny Doon fame) must think so too. They have brought these varietals to the American public who love them! The styles vary from peppery, muscular versions that mimic the Northern Rhone Hermitage, to fruit-driven wines more comparable to Australia. Areas of excellence are found in the Sonoma Coast (the coast part is important; the cool breezes keep the fruit’s acidity up). Napa Valley mountain appellations such as Spring Mountain and Mount Veeder plus the Russian River Valley are perfect areas for Syrah to shine. Also look for Santa Ynez Valley and Knights Valley offerings (around $40).
Woman
So what is a poor person to do to enjoy Syrah now and not so expensive? Easy, travel to Australia. Shiraz is synonymous with Aussie red wine these days. They even blend it with other grapes such as the traditional Viognier, or, more likely, red grapes such as Cabernet. It tastes very different depending which area of Australia the grapes are grown in. Look for a warm, mouthful of plums and chocolate from Barossa or Hunter Valley. Two of the best regions are Adelaide Hills, and Beechworth, a sub-alpine region in Victoria’s northeast. These have more finesse and restraint than the typical Australian Shiraz and more in common with the Northern Rhone. Alcohol levels can be high: 15% is not uncommon. Most wines are aged in new oak so they have vanilla and Christmas spice overtones. Blueberry jam frequently jumps out at you. Lots of value wines in the $10 to $15 can be found but should you decide to splurge, try Hill of Grace from 150 year old vines.
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