So, Syrah?

RE: So, Syrah?

Clément Cariot — Fri, 27 Jun 2014 23:49:40 GMT

I think Syrah was the biggest looser of what I like to call the Wine Dark Ages, that period between 1999 and 2005 when making wine meant making wine for Robert Parker's point system. The lack of style consistency made it very difficult for customers to follow, and was therefore abandoned by the majority of wine drinkers. Good thing we are still here, to push Cote-Rotie with Kobe short ribs braised in red wine. That will bring them back to La Syrah!

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:39:44 GMT

Correction: Timbervine Ranch. So much for flying w/o notes.

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:53:35 GMT

I love that tannat! It would be interesting to see how tannat does in RRV or Mendo, maybe Ukiah area. Know of any? Back to syrah, I was blown away the other night by a Porter Creek ’06, Timberhill Vin. Moderate ripeness and alcohol, clear and defined, yet rich and juicy with plenty of pepper and leather. Gorgeous wine w/bbq pork Mex-style.

RE: So, Syrah?

Anonymous — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:47:43 GMT

I was in Paso Robles a couple of months ago and was able to taste everything that Tablas Creek was pouring. Their Syrah (2005) really stood out in my mind as being more authentic in style to something I would enjoy and would recognize as a Rhone syrah. The Vermentino stood out as well for it's amazing honeysuckle nose and (possibly) delightful potential for food pairing.

The star of the tasting as far as I was concerned was their 2006 Tannat which blew me away with its complexity, intensity and earthiness. It was the type of wine I love to swirl the last few drops in the glass to just absorb the aromas as I sit.

RE: So, Syrah?

Ted Glennon — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:04:31 GMT

Rod,

yup and yup. As i said until you can distinguish Tablas and the cool climate guys and gals really killing it out there from the HUGE production stuff selling for 8 bucks Paso will be misunderstood. As with much of California the best stuff is gobbled up so quickly by those of us in the state, very little really leaves our borders, problematic no?

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:12:59 GMT

I should have mentioned Tablas Creek earlier. Those wines have real “syrahthenticity”. They’re anomalous, though, in my experience of Paso, which I do associate w/rather brutish, overripe reds. It doesn’t have to be that way—as you point out, the climate/soil combo is awesome. But the idea that 26 brix is the new 24 has really been enculturated there.

RE: So, Syrah?

Ted Glennon — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:11:45 GMT

I was in Paso Robles last week and tasted two very stunning Syrahs made in a similar style. Most of us on this site know the "image" of Paso Robles, big over the top, etc. Many fine wine fans just pass on any Paso wines. Dig deeper.

i encourage everyone to get out and see the place, it will blow you away. a very diverse appellation that desperately needs to be redrawn and sub-divided. Huge Diurnals (up to 50degrees!), a massive belt of limestone running through the west-side, ocean fog.......

Tablas Creek, 2006 Syrah & Four Vines, "one tree hill vineyard" syrah,2006 both of the these wines expressed characteristics i have only seen in Cornas, screaming gravelly minerality, high acidity, meat, black fruits, iron, rich black pepper, wow.

This is my favorite expression of the grape and one we rarely see in the new world. Many will not believe this, i mean Paso? is probably what you're thinking, seek out these bottlings, the food matches are ridiculous. Maybe this cool climate awesome-ness will catch on...

Yet this further complicates things because there are so many varying styles on the market, the consumer has no idea how to pick a wine. syrah sells out in tasting rooms, and just sits in restaurant cellars.

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:28:19 GMT

I'm in, Geoff.

RE: So, Syrah?

Admin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:14:48 GMT

I have one bottle left of 1994 Dehlinger reserve Syrah. We should all drink it together!

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:25:28 GMT

Agreed on Dehlinger—always among my favorite syrahs and pinots—and Lagier-Meredith. Now, there’s a great pairing: a scientist and a man of the land. BTW, Yoon, congrats on your Rising Star award. My wife attended the awards reception and reported that your wine pairings w/caviar, etc. were amazing. (I stayed home w/the kids; we had hot dogs, paired w/a superb ’09 Apple Juice poured from187 ml box.)

RE: So, Syrah?

Yoon Ha — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:14:27 GMT

Rod,

Great work; I've always loved your writing and it's great to read you again. It wasn't too long ago that I used a 1998 Dehlinger Syrah in a wine pairing and they are a far cry from what we're being tasted on now. A producer who I admire is Lagier-Meredith from Mount Veeder. We just conducted a 10 year vertical of their wines it just proved how the wines can evolve when they are protected from over-ripening and over-making. They had never used new wood - 1year old barrels thru 4 year old barrels. Thanks for the great post!

RE: So, Syrah?

Rod Smith — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:57:11 GMT

Shayn, I’m betting that Arnot-Roberts you’re describing was the Clary Vineyard, the same one that blew me away recently. That vineyard does experience the kind of diurnal temp swing that you mention in connection w/Walla Walla’s continental climate, though we get it around here (western Sonoma County) as a marine influence. Good point, but I think it’s more than just preserving the acidity. It seems to galvanize the fruit in a way that’s hard to mimic in the cellar w/acid additions or other manipulation. Deeper color, for example (although you can do that w/enzymes). And Greg, I agree that syrah is a lot more like pinot than cab in character, and in how much manipulation it will tolerate. Thanks for the insight into the nerves of steel it takes to make a wine that expresses (insert the T word here, if you dare), as we all seem to agree the Gramercy wines do. It takes experience, faith and conviction to know that a greenish-smelling fermentation can ripen into a luscious wine. I’m surprised that knowledge isn’t more common—even in my limited experience working a few crushes it seems axiomatic that a fermentation that smells jammy will yield a jammy wine. Of course, jammy wines tend to nail the scores…

RE: So, Syrah?

Mariya Kovacheva — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:22:45 GMT

This a great discussion going on here. I can smell so much Love and Passion in the above posts.

I have got to admit it: It is my favorite black grape. It is sexy, sensual and intriguing. Sounds like a woman.

It is great with food but it is a meal by itself: crushed peppercorns, cured meat, smoke and bacon, hints of violet and dark chocolate. It has so much to offer. Actually, I am recalling a one of my favorite pairings of Syrah and Squab Tartine with truffle and mushroom duxelle: Yummy!

Mr.Smith, you are very right- sommeliers have become very powerful force. We are on the front line. We sell the wine to our guests. We can influence consumer tastes. Some people would not like it, many usually find their new favorite. We have got to keep trying!

There are some very good domestic Syrahs on the market from both California and Washington. I will add some names to the above mentioned : Pax, DeLile Cellars"Doyene" and McCrea. There is a supply, we need to work on the demand. What a great initiative is the Walla Walla University! It makes me think about the Pinot Camp in Oregon couple years ago. It works. It is an incredible marketing tool and an opportunity to experience first hand what winemakers and grape growers are creating in the bottle.

Australians and people, looking fast profits created bad reputation for the Shiraz/Syrah grape. They have been collecting the dividends now and we, all know it is not going in a good direction. Nationally, Sideways killed kind of the market for many other grape varieties but Pinot Noir. However, they are out there people willing to try and experience not the usual offerings.

I believe, it is about Education, Passion and Dedication.

Cheers for all of you, the Determined ones!

RE: So, Syrah?

Gramercy Cellars — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:55:23 GMT

Rod - great article and one that is very in touch with the market. Selling Syrah is an uphill battle. The Aussies and now the Californians did/are doing a great job of manipulating the varietal to the point that the consumer has no idea what to expect from the varietal. It’s the first varietal where the ”formula” doesn’t work. Formula = high brix/late picking, excessive manipulation and additives, RS and copious new oak.

Syrah is NOT Cabernet. In fact, in my opinion it is much closer to Pinot Noir. It is a varietal that require minimal handling and will quickly be dominated by oak.

Syrah requires early picking - if it tastes sweet in the vineyard, its too ripe. In Washington, we are almost always the first winery to pick Syrah at our contract vineyards. Many pick as much as a month later. Syrah should smell a bit green when it is fermenting. In fact, I have a saying that if the fermenting Syrah didn’t at one point scare the heck out of me, I picked it too late. All those green fermenting flavors turn into smoke and pepper with age. I also think Syrah require some whole cluster/stem during fermentation, but lets not get too carried away. Syrah is deeply disturbed by racking. Too many wineries throw it in a tank at the slightest hint of reduction. Syrah fights back by closing up aromatically. With risk of sounding like a cliché – minimalist handling.

I do believe there is a light at the end of the tunnel however. But it requires a big leap for most winemakers/wineries/corp execs. Stop thinking about the score and make a wine that is distinctive and balanced with minimal oak influence. But too many in the wine business are too afraid to make wine like this. What if we only score an 89? Disaster! And something that most wineries won’t be able to stomach because making wine in the above style will hurt point scores.

We have been very successful selling Syrah. It takes some coaxing to sell – lots of flights, many rejections, but we are willing to trade some short term hardship for long term greatness. We love when people say “Wow, this actually tastes like Syrah.” Or “This doesn’t taste like California.” So there are some of us out there fighting the fight, because we believe that Syrah does deserve a place on the American wine list. And it’s a grape that reeks of “terroir.” There I said the word. So it might require many plane trips and speeches at wine festivals, but we’re up for the fight. It’s a worthwhile grape that deserves respect and celebration.

RE: So, Syrah?

Gramercy Cellars — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:53:32 GMT

Syrah is NOT Cabernet. In fact, in my opinion it is much closer to Pinot Noir. It is a varietal that require minimal handling and will quickly be dominated by oak.