Browse Tag

syrah

Stony the stiger

[tasting room]Stony Brook 2003 Syrah (Coastal Region) – Fuller-bodied and better than the 04. I’m not sure of the reasons for the nomenclature change. Blueberry and beet, tangled roots, and spice. The finish is a bit hot, and there’s a plastic note throughout. (2/08)

Regards with to

Penfolds 2004 “RWT” Shiraz (Barossa Valley) – Smoky blueberry, blackberry, and chocolate. Dense and clumsy, stumbling through a long but unbelievably dull finish. Bottled boredom. (2/08)

Sue, ho

Souhaut 2005 St-Joseph “Sainte Epine” (Rhône) – Gorgeous. Smooth waves of graphitic tannin, dark, smoky fruit, and fine acidity. Flawlessly poised, and prepared for future greatness. (4/08)

Without reliving the weeks before Easter

Shafer 2004 “Relentless” (Napa Valley) – Wafts of pretty oakspice, good red fruit, and lots of tannin…both grape and wood. Ultimately, the wine is completely dominated and then overwhelmed by the arbor, and lacks character as a result. (2/08)

Salt Lake City

[vineyard]Mission Hill 2003 “S.L.C.” Syrah (Okanagan Valley) – A bit difficult at first, but with air it blossoms, showing deep, firm, dark leather and a black stew of berries, smoky and mysterious, perhaps somewhat impenetrable. Structure and length are promising, and this seems like a keeper. (3/08)

Al be ceño later

Pedro Luis Martinez “Alceño” 2004 Jumilla Syrah (Levant) – 85% syrah, 15% monastrell. Violets and espresso, with a thick, plastic-wrapped and blueberry-flavored coffee finish. Absolutely synthetic-tasting; a horror-show of unfruit™. (10/07)

Betcha by Gully wow

[label]Rocky Gully 2005 Shiraz 95%/Viognier 5% (Frankland River) – Very dark black, almost charred fruit, with a layer of tar. Air helps a little bit, but this carries an acrid vinyl note of medium-quality pinotage that never fades. It’s very noisy and repetitive, as if it were shiraz reconceived as thrash metal. A strappy, shut-that-music-off-you-damned-kids wine that I don’t much care for. (3/08)