Tag Archives: syrah

Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah 2013

05 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,


If you have been following the last several posts you will know I went on a California adventure with my son.  Apart from the two wineries that we visited, I made sure I was stocked with wine for each evening.  I was super excited to find numerous different Charles Smith wines, of which we cannot seem to get on the East Coast.  This was actually the second bottle that I opened.  The first was a Charles and Charles Merlot, out by the hotel fire pit while my son was making s’mores.  I took no notes, just enjoying the moment of father/son time and relishing the fresh evening breeze of the Monterey Peninsula.  The  Boom Boom is a Syrah from Washington State with pretty purple hues and a nose of candies, plum and oak.  Whilst not my favorite profile it appeals to many so I will not let that detract from the score.  A gentle entry of plum sorbet and dark cherry with a touch of heat. It’s a very easy drinker with slight tannins and a hint of acidity. This is an everyday drinker that will please many when paired with burgers, beef brisket, even barbecued chicken with a tangy sauce. 88 points from me and therefore 3 stars for this $17 effort.  Salut….

charles smith boom boom syrah

The Boom Boom

Charles and Charles Merlot- not reviewed

Charles and Charles Merlot- not reviewed

The fire pit, just at the edge of the golf course

The fire pit, just at the edge of the golf course

Leviathan California Red Wine 2011

21 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,


The pretty obscure label and name made me look this one up. 55% Syrah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc- what a concoction.  Anyway, it can be had for $40 and was brought over by some friends.  Blackish purple shades in the glass promised structure and weight.  Plums, iodine and blackberry on the nose did not disappoint.  Fresh and slightly tannic entry of plums, blackberries, a touch of mint and eucalyptus made for a very interesting combo.  Well balanced with a decent finish had me grabbing for the bottle.  We drank it over cheese, olives and salami before going out to dinner.  It was perfect for the occasion but it would pair really well with Beef Stroganoff, Lamb shanks or even Osso Bucco.  91 points from me make this a 4 star wine and really well worth cellaring for a while.  2014-2020.  Salut….

leviathon red wine

Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1999

15 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


An iconic wine from a crappy year.  Yup, I bought a wine that I knew was not very good.  The pro’s originally gave it high 80’s scores.  It was priced at $120 per but I picked up a case at $70 a bottle, probably because nobody was buying this vintage.  La Chapelle is a huge name in the wine world, some vintages are worth thousands, yes $1000’s of US dollars.  It is a world class Syrah, from the famed Hermitage appellation in the Rhone Valley. Buying this wine was a once in a lifetime look into something amazing, with a storied and solid history- albeit in a mediocre year.  I cellared the case for a decade before I tried the first bottle.  I was hugely disappointed, it was crap.  I couldn’t believe it, I had wasted nearly $850 on a whim.  I tried several bottles and gave one away.  The rest just sat there, forlorn in their OWC (Original Wood Case).  Until Thanksgiving, when I cellar-dove to pull out some gems for the holiday season.  I found the case of Hermitage and decided to empty it out and get ready to either drink or pour the last 5 bottles.

Glad I resisted the urge to dump, this wine has turned around and offers a modest drinking experience and may even be on an upswing.  Vintages of this wine have been known to age gracefully for nearly a century.  It is a huge wine.

Inky purple glass which is a good sign.  The bottle had large deposits of sediment on the sides but there were none in the glass.  Nose of garigue, violets, game and dark fruits.  Mellow and smooth opening with bright fruit flavors of ripe plum, blueberry and cassis, not what I was expecting considering my previous experiences with this wine.  An earthy component on the mid palate which melded well with some acidity. The tannins are fully integrated and this wine is at peak. 88/89 points were my initial and final impressions.  The pro’s have since upgraded their scores to reflect the wine’s true personality.  It is drinking at its best now and will go for another 5 years.  If you like finesse this is a wine for you, but at this price point I think there are far better wines to search out.  2 Stars unfortunately for this rather expensive yet average drinking wine.  Salut…

paul jaboulet aine hermitage la chapelle

Orin Swift D66 2011

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,


I have sampled Orin Swift’s The Prisoner and am familiar with their full on style.  Heady and high in alcohol with great extraction.  This wine is no different.  It all began with a rich dark purple hue in the glass.  Wild flowers, blackberries, earth and plum come across on the nose.  Violets and plums with layers of dark fruit compote and an earthy component attack the palate full bore.  I loved the very smooth mouthfeel that hides the whopping 15.2% alcohol.  Melded tannins and a balanced acidity contribute to the silkiness.  This wine is made from Grenache, Syrah and Carignan from the Catalan region.  Terroir of the French countryside is evident. Old world in fruit yet New world in extraction and style.  It finishes with a touch of cinnamon and blueberry pie. 2014-2020 would be my guess for a drinking window.  I give it 92 points and for $33 it deserves 5 stars.  Deeeelish.  Salut…..

orin swift d66

El Angosto Los Almendros 2009

08 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I wasn’t sure what to expect out of this Spanish blend of Garnacha Tintorera, Syrah and Marselan but it sure looked good in the glass.  Oregano, violets and black fruits on the nose were intriguing.  Pepper, blackberry, tar and capsicum on the initial attack were delightful.  Pinpoint tannins and a nice balance of acidity gave this wine a rounded and smooth mouthfeel.  The tannins are long , tingling the gum for over a minute- surprising.  I drank it with smoked pork one night, but ended up drinking several more bottles of it this week with other dishes, all delightful pairings.  Focus on  juicy steak or hearty stews for the best results.  This is a really versatile and delicious wine with a drinking window of 2014-2019.  It gets 91 points from me and 4 stars with its $25 price point.  Salut….El Angosto Almendros Single Vineyard Tinto

Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah 2007

11 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I am tasting my way through the Clarendon Hills portfolio, and I’m loving it.  This particular Syrah was nearly black in the glass.  It opened with plums and blue berries on nose with some pencil lead hints.  My first impression was powerful and juicy with delightful tannins.  I noticed that the wine sports a 14.5% alcohol which is well hidden.  Chocolate and figs on the mid palate added to the complexity of the blue fruits.  The wine has a layered elegance and smoothness that is fabulous.  I like the way this winery makes Syrah style wines, very nice and atypical.  It later hit me that this wine is very plummy, probably explains the denseness and extraction.  I noted ‘Tight tannins that are well integrated.’  I would give this wine a span of 2014-2025 with evolution hopefully coming through with some secondary flavors evolving.  I got a good deal on this bottle but even at it’s SRP of $75 it is an excellent value for money if you have a big dinner planned, running at 93 points for me and 4 stars.  Ps. I served it with well seasoned Flank steaks but this Aussie wine was made for a leg of lamb, just my opinion.  Salut….

clarendon hills syrah hickinbotham

Montagnac Syrah 2012

18 Sunday May 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I saw this bottle in the shop and noticed it’s low $8 price tag, but I was on a mission so I passed.  Lo and behold my buddy showed up with it later in the afternoon.  I believe it hails from the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France where they  grow tons of Syrah grapes.  This one looks to be a co-operative wine.  It started off with a slightly oxidized nose of purple plums and a scent I had never encountered in wine- grape bubble gum.  I was intrigued and sniffed for a good 5 minutes before I could pinpoint it.  Since I have never smelled it in wine nor have I ever seen it used as a descriptor I was curious about the taste.  Candied plums and maraschino cherries are what hit me.  I kept getting a whiff of alcohol as well but the bottle only registered at 13%.  Very slight tannins were evident and the balance was slightly off with a tartness.  This is probably a decent picnic wine for an afternoon of cucumber sandwiches and fried chicken on a blanket in the park.  83 points and 2 stars.  Salut….

montagnac syrah

Clarendon Hills Syrah ‘Liandra’ 2007

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


When I decided to fire up the grill and roast a leg of lamb I needed a Syrah/Shiraz to go with it.  What better than a nicely aged bottle from Australia?  I have become a huge fan of the Clarendon winery, they produce amazing wines in a style that I adore.  This one was exceptionally good and the pairing was amazing.

It started out with Plum jam, blackcurrants, nutmeg and a touch of heat on the nose.  Initially there was a  dark core of black currants and plum compote with a hint of licorice.  The mid palate gave way to red raspberries after some time which was fascinating.  I noted ‘Extremely smooth with beautiful fine-grained tannins and an edge of acidity’.  This wine rocked.  It’s 14.5% alcohol was evident when the bottle was first opened but seemed to blow off with time and became a non-event.  Complexity and finesse are what this winery is good at.  They tend to be more Rhone-like versus typical Aussie Shiraz.  I prefer the subtlety and refined approach on occasions and this wine allowed the meat to showcase it’s herbs and spices without overpowering it.  The pro’s went from 89-95 on this one, but I agree with WS- it’s a solid 93-94 point wine in my opinion but at $75 is rather pricy.  4 stars however and a cellaring potential up to 2027 if you ask me.  Salut….

Clarendon Hills liandra

reverse sear big green egg

‘Reverse Searing’ the leg of lamb

Clarendon Hills Brookman Syrah 2007

06 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


From Mclaren Vale comes this elegant Syrah that performed well with the pro’s.  I must say I am enjoying a resurgence of Aussie Syrah, versus the more typical Shiraz style of making this varietal.  This one started off with Asian plums and black cherries on the nose.  Rich and thick come to mind when I was sipping this beauty.  The 14.5% alcohol is neatly hidden to detract from it’s potency, yet the extraction is generous.  This wine has a great Rhone style with good vanilla notes preempting the young tannins.  Bell peppers appear on the back end with some tight black berries coming through with plums and spices for the finish.  The wine is complex and layered, as would be expected from a $75 wine.  The scores came in from a high of 95, to 90.  I am thinking this wine is a 93 effort but it needs time to meld.  I would imagine a drinking window of 2016-2024.  I am really starting to like this winery, they produce high quality wines made in a style that appeals to me- finesse with plenty of complexity and depth.  4 stars if you are keen for a special wine.  Salut….

IMG_0871

Chateau Sainte Marthe 2011

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

Posted by in Wine reviews

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I picked this Languedoc blend up for about $9 for a casual drink with the boys.  I knew nothing about it except its origin and vintage.  I guessed at the blend, 50% Syrah with the rest being Grenache and Mourverdre.  I initially got some red cherries on the nose which later turned somewhat oxidized.  A certain phenolic component also came through after the bottle had been open for a while.  On the initial palate I was rewarded with straightforward flavors of kirsch, red currants and a rubber component akin to car tires (kinda weird, I know).  The structure of this wine is very basic and meant for easy, short-term drinking with very little tannins but decent acidity.  The wine took on another dimension as I mentioned with some air time, it became more rustic with that oxidizing nose which did not really bother me.  I have another bottle which I will try, reporting back with any major deviations.  I would think this wine is a solid 83 points and 2 stars in my book.  It’s hard to find decent wine for under $10, but this bottle should do in a pinch, even with its mid-bottle morphing.  Salut….

IMG_0651