Tag Archives: syrah

Montagnac Syrah 2012

18 Sunday May 2014

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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….

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Clarendon Hills Syrah ‘Liandra’ 2007

02 Friday May 2014

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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

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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….

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Chateau Sainte Marthe 2011

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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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….

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Clarendon Hills Astralis 2004

10 Monday Feb 2014

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A huge, monumental, iconic wine that scored massively with the pros and cost me an arm and leg. This weekend marks a huge turn in Moxie’s store and a good reason to celebrate, hence the need to pull out a $300+ bottle of wine from the depths of the cellar. To emphasize- RP 98, WE 98, WS 97, WC 97, AWC 95. Wow….

I have been in Asia for a few days and just returned this morning. Napping the morning away, I was ready for a hearty meal and some good vino. I decided on a Lamb tagine to go with this Aussie Syrah. Yup, Syrah…. They don’t call it a Shiraz, hmmmm.

I opened the bottle at 6:30 and made immediate notes:
The wine is nearly black in the glass and the first whiff was pure alcohol. I let it settle for few minutes and coaxed dark, brooding currants and a touch of the wood in addition to some cherry hints. On the palate I did not catch any of the 14.5% alcohol! Instead I got a complex mixture of black currants, plums, kirsch and oak. The mid palate adds a fine grained tannic streak along with some tobacco and spice nuances. The finish is where the alcohol shows up, unfortunately. The tannins are totally integrated at this point and do not dry out the end game.

It’s now three hours after opening and the wine has not evolved all that much, just softening up a bit on the initial attack. I doubt it will morph much more before I polish it off. The critics reckoned this wine would go until 2030. My impressions are below, and not quite in line.

Firstly, this is not my favorite Syrah nor is it my favorite wine from this producer. I disagree with the high ratings, I don’t think it warrants more than 92 points. For the price, it is a very dear wine and I’m only giving it 2 stars. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good wine- perhaps a great wine according to the pros but for me it’s just average for the price.  I was hoping for more depth, complexity and certainly more flavor.  My quest is to expand my palate and try as many highly rated wines as possible so I will be better able to discern a truly great wine.  This one just wasn’t it, a pity.  Salut….

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Jean Louis Chave Mon Coeur Cotes Du Rhone 2010

14 Saturday Dec 2013

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Having just drunk the more delicate Pinot Noir, this was a smack to the face.  A huge, tannic, rustic wine that was nearly black in the glass.  Full bodied and not afraid to show it, this wine had notes of blackberry, licorice and oak on the nose.  On the palate, very earthy, almost too much even for me.  The garrigue infused funk overpowered the black fruits.  The tannins were great and will hold this wine for at least 5 years but it is drinking great right now.  My personal opinion is 88 points for this wine.  The balance of fruit and secondary flavors weighed the scoring down for me.  For $24 it may be worthy of a try but be prepared for it.  I suggest pairing this Syrah/Grenache blend with a beef stew or lasagna- something hearty.  I’m going with 3 stars for now.  Salut….

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Marrenon Classique Mediterannee 2011

26 Saturday Oct 2013

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In my quest to sample as many wines as possible I will even pay $8 for a co-op made wine served in a plastic cup onboard a United airlines flight. They used to serve a decent NV wine called Fox Grove.
This French version is not quite as decent but was certainly serviceable. I tried to research this one a little more and only came up with the fact that it’s a co-operative wine from the Luberon and Ventoux regions of France (south east from Chateauneuf du-Pape ). I’m guessing a Syrah blend with perhaps some Carignan. A basic wine that offered immediate pleasure without complexity or airs. It does what it’s supposed to do, drink easily and fade away quickly. Mainly blue fruits on the nose and palate, very little tannins but some good acidic juiciness. It’s really hard to pick out nuances in a plastic cup in a pressurized airplane, so I will leave at that. This is perhaps an $8 bottle that won’t embarrass you at a party. 84 points and 3 stars. Salut….

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Chilcas Syrah 2011

27 Tuesday Aug 2013

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Back on track with the Chilcas family!  I just wrote about the Carmenere disappointment and am happy to say that the Syrah bottling is right up my alley.

There are two ways to spell this varietal, Shiraz- which I find to be a much bolder expression of the fruit, and Syrah- a more refined offering and usually Old World in heritage.  This bottling is old school through and through.  Very soft in the mouth, with gentle tannins and balanced acidity.  Reserved, it shows its red berry and chocolate flavors very smoothly.  This wine, while not complex, does show off its origin and terroir very nicely (not that I’m an expert).  Did I mention the price?  A veritable steal and worthy of 5 stars and perhaps 87 points.  I think I’m on to something here, stay away from the funky Carmenere, stock up on this and the Cabernet and you can defend against any size party that pops up!  Salut….

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Trivento Amado Sur 2011

08 Saturday Jun 2013

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Mostly Malbec with a dose of Bonarda and Syrah, this little gem fits between the Malbec Reserve and Golden Reserve of which I am very fond of.  Deftly made with subtle oak, there is a serious tannic compound to this wine which will hold it together in the cellar for years to come.  Dark purple in the glass with very interesting blueberry notes and some mintiness on the nose.  On the palate is where the blueberry driven Malbec mixes it up with the red fruits of the Bonarda and Syrah.  I’m not sure where the tannins are derived from, but they just wont quit.  I was licking my lips forever after each sip, the mouth puckering was amazing, in a good way.  The acidity was bright and balanced in this wine.  It finished with a plumminess that was somewhat jamlike, which I enjoyed.  89 points in my book and a 5 star wine for the price.  This winery keeps on delivering the goods, a must have for the cellar to be enjoyed for the next 7 years.  Salut!

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Clarendon Hills Syrah Piggott Range Vineyard 2006

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

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An iconic name from Australia that crafts some monumental wines.  Normally this varietal is called Shiraz downunder, yet Clarendon makes it in an Old World style and reverted to the Syrah moniker.  Unlike typical Aussie Shiraz, this offering is refined, understated and showing great class.  Plum compote, chocolate and some earth transcend from the nose to the palate.  Layers of fruit emerge in this complex wine and the tannins are ever so subtle, yet omni-present.  Extremely balanced and smooth, this is finesse at its finest.  Pricey at about $100, this is no Thursday night pop-n-pour.  I served it up on a Sunday evening with London Broil and roasted potatoes.  It would pair well with Lamb chops as well as by itself.  I believe that the pro’s ranged from 92-98.  I would give it 93 personally and 4 stars (Price taken into account).  I have three more in the cellar and will watch for further development, anticipating a drinking window from now until 2020 at the least.

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