Tag Archives: syrah

Cellar Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica Old Vines 2016, Montsant, Spain

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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Medium opacity with good purple color and very fine-stranded legs. The nose is dark.  Blackberry, hoisin, raisins and cinnamon.  On the palate it’s slightly lighter- sweet black cherries, violets and creosote.  Very lithe tannins sneak up on me and the mid palate becomes a mouth puckering event that allows waves of black cherry to mingle with rooibos tea and tar.  The tannic grip is further highlighted on the finish.  Evergreen, black tea and blackberries surrounded by that astringency take me to a medium length ending that has my mouth watering.  Delicious, youthful and cellarworthy.  This wine is versatile in its power and flavor profile.  Really yummy and worthy of 92 points from me.  One pro went as high as 94!  Great stuff for $11, a steal really.  Drink till 2026.  5 stars for sure for this 85% Grenache/15% Syrah blend.  Salut….

Bodegas Illana ‘Casa de Illana’ Tres de Cinco Crianza 2016, Ribera del Jucar, Spain

27 Wednesday Nov 2019

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A blend of 36% Petit Verdot, 28% Syrah, 20% Cab Sav and 16% Boral (Never heard of her)- got me excited to try this Spanish red that is a medium opacity purple in the glass.  On the nose it is reminds me of wild fruit, damson, red licorice and bramble.  There is a dustiness that is typical for Rioja’s but I have no experience with this appellation- Ribera del Jucar.  The initial palate is really nice with purple fruits galore.  Plum reduction, black cherry and really crispy tannins.  The structure is very solid with fine acidity balancing the tannic bite.  The mid palate has iodine and more black cherry with a touch of charcoal.  The finish is long and dry, the tannins starting to get hold of the gums.  It’s a nice feeling that I am enjoying for a good 30-45 seconds.  I like the combination of the blend, the Petit Verdot giving a nice backbone and some floral hints throughout.  Well made and drinkable till 2028 with some pasta, perhaps Strip Steak or even Osso Bucco.  91 points from me and 5 stars for this $13 gem.  Salut….

Glenelly ‘Glass Collection’ Syrah 2013, Stellenbosch, South Africa

21 Sunday Apr 2019

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Wow- inky, dark, thick and brooding in appearance.  The nose is focused, plum torte and blackberry extract are my first impressions.  On the palate it’s full of dark fruits, tar, mint and a meaty component.  The tannins are so mild, melded and unobtrusive- making this a great sipping wine.  It’s flavorful, easygoing, adaptable yet complex.  The finish is really smooth with nice blackberry jam and bacon notes.  Medium length.  This is not a dry nor sweet wine- just nicely balanced between the extremes.  Drink till 2022.  90 points and 4 stars for this $20 effort.  The pros went higher, perhaps I need to re-calibrate!  Salut….

Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2016, Rhone, France

22 Friday Feb 2019

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Very dark in the glass.  The nose is plummy with sweet black currant syrup hints.  The palate has black currants, espresso and nutmeg notes.  Mouth drying tannins appear on the mid-palate where I  get big doses of coffee and charcoal.  The tannins really grip on the finish.  The wine begs for aeration or a juicy ribeye.  The acidity is there, somewhere.  I just can’t sense it.  Overall- quite tasty, young and in need of cellaring or aerating.  Drink till 2026 with hearty fare.  88 points from me which is in stark contrast with the monster 92+ points the pros gave it.  I think a re-taste is in order.  For now this $20 effort gets 3 stars.  Salut….

Koyle Royale Syrah 2016, Colchagua Valley, Chile

07 Monday Jan 2019

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I have enjoyed numerous bottles of the 2015 Koyle Syrah, so when I saw the ’16- it had to be done.  Very dark and opaque in the glass.  Brooding , almost.  The nose is fruity, with a touch too much of that jam I dislike.  Black berries, raspberry reduction and a touch of wood also hit.  On the palate I get sour cherry sauce with very astringent tannins- the wine is somewhat astray.  It appears someway disjointed, not quite ready to come out.  There is a nice core of dark fruits under that tannic veil, perhaps I will aerate.

Yeah, that’s much better.  The nose is still not to my personal tastes but the wine smooths out, the tannins are more in order and the flavors of fruit take front row.  More black fruits than red and a touch of oak are now the order of the day.  This wine is very young and needs time to meld in order to settle down but should be decent in a year or so…. unless you are like me and have access to an aerator at all times.  I am going with 89 points for now but plan to re-visit in a while.  If you drink one, pair it with a hearty meal, something fatty.  3 stars for an initial impression of this $23 wine.  Salut….

Chateau Rochecolombe Cotes du Rhone 2016, France

03 Saturday Nov 2018

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Really rich hues of purple in the glass.  The nose contains a certain funk…. not sure if that blows away.  Earthy, plum, iodine and ink all come to mind while swirling.  The initial palate is typical for the region.  Bold, punchy and full of black fruits.  Great balance between the medium tannins and acidity alongside a dollop of blackberry jam.  The midpalate is drier, more primal.  The dark fruits hold on and overcome the tannic bite, barely.  This wine is a seesaw of fruit vs. structure- I’m loving it.  The finish is long, dry with heaps of blackberry, oregano and olives.  Very much in-your-face.  91 points, drink till 2024 with charcuterie, roasted game, lamb chops or a hearty pasta.  This is tasty stuff folks.  5 stars for the $17 price tag.  Salut….

Januik Red 2015, Columbia Valley, USA

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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Bright purple.  The nose is fruity, vibrant and full of blackberry and black cherry.  On the palate- delicious rendition of dark berry compote meets vanilla bean and coffee reduction.  The wine exhibits some dryness with slight tannins appearing midpalate.  The dryness opens up on the finish and leaves the back cheeks somewhat astringent.  The mid plate concentrated on black fruits and the finish carries it through with some cedar plank to boot. 89 points and 4 stars for this $20 blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah and Franc.  Drink now with tapas, grilled Pork chops or pasta.  Salut….

The Ojai Vineyard Syrah 2016, Santa Barbara County, USA

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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I have to remember that wine is very subjective, and what I like or dislike is often opposite of others.  This one is a perfect example of that.  It shows medium intensity in the glass.  The nose has that candied oak waft that I don’t like. The palate mirrored that profile so I just spilled the glass and moved on to the next wine bottle at the tasting.  A review of the web shows it available for $35.  Salut….

Famille Perrin Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Sinards 2015, Rhone, France

15 Saturday Sep 2018

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Medium opacity with a lighter purple hue.  On the nose it screams black currants with some bacon fat and oregano.  There is a hint of forest floor at the back end of the nose.  On the palate – berries, medium intensity tannins, tea and olives.  The wine transitions nicely to the mid palate with the tannins providing a nice dryness to the mouthfeel.  The flavors are consistent through to the finish where I also get some licorice.  The balance is nice for a wine that is made for medium term drinking.  Perfect for a game dish, even a seasoned Cornish Hen.  Drink now till 2033.  91 points and 4 stars for this $34 blend of mainly Grenache mixed with Syrah and Mouvedre.  Salut….

Pomar Junction The Crossing GSM 2013, Paso Robles, USA

30 Wednesday May 2018

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Lighter in the glass than I was expecting but the nose- wow.  Black berries, spice box, vanilla.  On the palate there’s tons of spiciness, cedar box, black fruits, cinnamon. The bite from the acidity is pinpoint, tannins are very lithe. On the finish I get maduro, black cherry and more vanilla from the wood dressing this wine has been graced with.  Very tasty Grenache, Syrah, Mourverdre blend.  92 points and 4 stars for this $54 wine.  Drink now till 2024.  Salut….