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Friday, April 28, 2006
Syrah Shiraz
Whether
its called shiraz or syrah, people love it
OK, the most likely explanation is that syrah was thought to have
originated in the ancient Persian city Shiraz (now in Iran). At that
time -- 1986 -- the only significant plantings of syrah/shiraz outside
of France were in Australia.
Winemaker
offers more than Merlot
I had a chance to sample the 2002 Reserve Monterey Shiraz. The floral
qualities of the Viognier meld well against the earthiness of the
Syrah/Shiraz.
Braving
the blends
Australia is shipping tanker loads of its lively, jammy shiraz mellowed
with cabernet sauvignon. ACNielsen reported sales of syrah and shiraz
blends to be up nearly 13 percent this year.
Match making
This is why wines from tannic grape varieties, such as cabernet
sauvignon or syrah/shiraz, go well with roast meat and stews. Smoky
barbecued flavours suit powerful, oaked wines like Australian shiraz.
Taste of Culture a
festive sampling of Lowells diversity
More
March Reds (8): Australia Shiraz,Chile Cab Sauv, Chile Merlot, Italy
Valpol, Chile Blend, Canada Cab Sauv, Australia Pinot Noir, Chile Pinot
Noir
The label says: "This generously flavoured Shiraz displays concentrated
ripe berry and black fruit characters with firm tannins softened and
balanced by twelve months in oak." Their website says: "Aromas of black
fruit mixed with spicy oak. Sweet fleshy fruits with subtle vanillin
and savoury oak.This wine can be enjoyed immediately or cellared for up
to 3 years." My notes: Different from DE BORTOLI 'dB' SHIRAZ 2004
(#595314@$12.95) tasted January 7, 2006 (see Archives) and an improved
offering.
Food
File
Sampling of shiraz/syrah blends; $10, benefits Pinellas Animal
Foundation. Sample Black Sheep chardonnay, Bridlewood syrah, La Joya
reserve carmenere, Cycles merlot; free.
The
mother of all vines
The most widely-planted vine varieties are the ‘noble’ French vines:
Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah (shiraz), Merlot,
Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion — which perhaps is why the home-grown
expert usually talks only about wine made from these few grapes. Legend
has it that the process of wine making originated in the city of Shiraz
(Iran) 7,000 years ago, and that the Syrah grape was brought to France
in the 13th Century CE by a returning crusader (who went on to found
Hermitage, which is still a 311-acre site in the northern Rhone
producing the eponymous wine).
Kangarilla
Road McLaren Vale Shiraz 2003
That's a Shiraz leaf on the quiet and clean, yet rich front label. On
the back label, you discover Click Wine Group* imported this Australian
Syrah.
March
Reds (8): Spain Temp, Canada Shiraz, Australia Blend, USA Cab Sauv, S
Africa Shiraz, Australia Blend, Canada Pinot Noir, Canada Merlot
To me Grenache and Shiraz don't complement each other - save the
grenache for a silky, flavourful rose.
Ode
to Syrah-Toledo Free Press Article
I love many wines, but perhaps my favorite grape is Syrah. Syrah has
also found a home in Australia under the label of Shiraz.
Joseph
Phelps Syrah (Napa Valley) 2000
I'll
take some Vitamin C in my Syrah, please...
Chateau
Ste. Michelle Syrah (Columbia Valley) 2002
At about $12, you can probably do better with a Shiraz from downunder,
but this is a perfectly fine wine.
Rosemount
Estate Hill of Gold Shiraz (Mudgee) 2003
Silverwing
Barossa Shiraz 2004
This ten buck Shiraz might be a focus group favorite. About all
we know is the fruit for Silverwing Shiraz 2004 was sourced from
Barossa, and aging was 18 months in used oak barrels.
Black
Chook Shiraz Viognier 2005
The first 2005 Australian red I spotted was Black Chook Shiraz
Viognier, raising a question. At the Santa Barbara Wine Futures last
week you could taste Carina Cellars' "7%", which is Syrah blended with
7% Viognier.
The
Mayo Family Winery The Libertine (Sonoma County) 2003
A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Zinfandel, the
flavor associations remind this drinker mainly of the latter two.
2003
Four Emus Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot
Tonight I'm quaffing the 2003 Four Emus Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz Merlot with a vegetarian pizza. The first time someone comes out
with "Thundering Wombat Shiraz" I'm buying a case.
Majella
Sparkling Shiraz (Coonawarra) 2003
IMHO, sparkling Shiraz is often the perfect wine for foods that
do not necessarily lend themselves to wine.
TENUTA
I MURACCI FORTEDIGA MAREMMA - 2004
When I see pure Cabernet-Syrah combinations, I tend to think of
cheap red wines with alcohol so strong that it can remove the paint
from the hood of your car. Must also agree that there are truck loads
of ass cab-shiraz out there but the "super Tuscans" do some fun ones,
though often pretty pricey and hardly expressing an Italian
characteristics.
Put
down the pate and pass the popcorn
And, for me, lightly salted goldfish crackers swim winningly
with everything from New Zealand sauvignon blanc to California syrah to
Spanish Rioja. These chips "pair up pretty darn well with a smooth
Aussie shiraz, something along the lines of The Gatekeeper, which has
great black fruits and hints of pepper and earth but comes off as
smooth as can be," she said.
E
Guigal Cotes du Rhone
The website was a bit misleading, but I believe the wine is Syrah
(55%), Grenache (35%) and Mourvedre (10%) from 35 year-old vines, aged
18 months in oak foudres. And very unusual for Cotes du Rhone having
more Syrah than Grenache.
2004
Woop Woop Shiraz (Southeast Australia)
2003
Bridlewood Syrah
The winery focuses on a Cab, Pinot, Zin, and a Syrah, along with a
Rhone blend. Their 2003 Syrah pours into the glass as if from a quill
of purple ink.
Knappstein
Clare Valley Shiraz 2003
A deep blood red in colour, this shiraz displays a rich fruity nose
with underlying hints of spices and dark chocolate.
2003
Hentley Farm Barossa Valley Shiraz
Wyndham
Estate Bin 555 Shiraz 2003
We found it on sale for a paltry $6, and even for several dollars more
its a nice combination of shiraz flavor and value. Adventures in Food
and Wine said, it is a fruity and spicy shiraz with a bit of creaminess
on the tongue.
Jacob's
Creek Shiraz 2003
Jacobs Creek Shiraz 2003 is a typical great Shiraz value a price way
under ten bucks a bottle, a nice combination of fruit and complexity
whats not to like? The Jacobs Creek Shiraz has a spicy aroma with a
strong hint of licorice, and mixes berry and plum fruit with balanced
oak and tannins.
Sutton Grange Fairbank
Syrah 2001
Red
Bicyclette Syrah'03, Vin de Pays d'Oc, Southern France
Table wine made from Syrah from the Minervois and Cabardes region in
Southern France produced by the well-known Gallo from California.
Technical Data: Syrah, portions of the wine aged in stainless steel
tanks and in new American and French oak.
01
Lagier Meredith, Mount Vedeer Napa Valley Syrah
Built on a mountainous perch of acid and alcohol, this spicy syrah is
rich but focused, like spiked tropical punch, and it intensifies with
every moment in the glass. Syrah is my favorite varietal yet my
selections are limited at the store.
Harewood
Estate Shiraz 2004
The fruit for this wine hails from from the Frankland River/Mt Barker
region in Western Australia and the wine has picked up trophies at the
Cool Climate Wine Show for the Champion Red of Show Champion Shiraz of
Show.. The Harewood Shiraz sits varietally true in the glass with the
aromas of ripe plums, black cherry and blackcurrants, licorice, coffee,
mocha, spice and herbs there are hints of dark chocolate and almost a
‘Rhoney’ pepperiness to the nose as well.
The
Little Penguin Shiraz'03, South Eastern Australia
An affordable Shiraz, perfect to drink everyday, nice with BBQ meats!
Technical Data: Shiraz, aged about 6 months in oak barrel depending of
the vintage.
Peter
Lehmann Clancy's
Barossa Australia; Shiraz (42%), Cabernet Sauvignon (41%) and Merlot
(17%).
Penley
Estate Hyland Shiraz 2004
This South Australian shiraz was the winner of the 2006 Wine Press Club
Trophy for best dry red wine at the recent Sydney Royal Wine Show.
Seppelts
Victorian Shiraz 2003
Wolf
Blass Gold Label Shiraz Viognier 2002
This was one of the many new shiraz viognier blends that hit the
shelves of Oz several years ago.
This
wine is not meant to taste like Shiraz
Lindemans Bin 0403
Shiraz 2004
It stacked up well against the 03 Kiss Shiraz, but in a elegance vs
power tye of way.
Glenguin "Stonybroke"
Shiraz Tannat 2003
Jest
Pink California Rosé Non-Vintage
Jest Pink is a blend of California Syrah, Grenache and Carignan.
Redbud
Shiraz
I agree, it drinks like a $10-15 bottle of Shiraz.
1999
Glaetzer Barossa Valley Shiraz 14%
2002
Punters Corner Coonawarra Shiraz 13.5%
Penfolds
Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz 1991
Barossa
Valley Estate "Ebenezer" Shiraz 2002
Penfolds
Magill Estate Shiraz 1998
2002 Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz (South Australia)
Clonakilla
Hilltops Shiraz 2004
LOS
PLANOS SYRAH - 2003
All the gorgeous and delicious characteristics of a California syrah,
without the big price tag.
2002
Seppelts Original Sparkling Shiraz 14.5%
Rogues Lane Shiraz
Malbec 2003
Meerea Park "Alexander
Munro" Shiraz 2003
Larger than life at the moment - this will certainly put hairs on your
chest, if that’s what you want - top notch Australian shiraz.
Wine
on the Mornington Peninsula of Victoria, Aus...
Its either all that Shiraz or maybe its just old age!
Another
Winery on the Mornington Peninsula - Parin...
This was unfortunate because the 2003 Reserve Shiraz was only the
second release of this special barrel selection of Shiraz, and I’d been
looking forward to tasting it. The three Shiraz wines seemed much riper
than any other Shiraz tasted during our day on the peninsula.
Cordon
Royat
The picture is from of a Syrah vine at Domaine Pierre Gaillard,
Malleval, (St Joseph, Condreieu) in the northern Rhone valley.
Wine
Tasting Note:Woodlands Cabernet-Merlot, 2004, Western Australia.
This would include this rather classy Cab-Merlot and the 'also worth
buying' Shepherd's Hut Shiraz sampled a few days ago that retails for a
rather good £11.
WBW
#19: the true taste of Counoise
I love the rich flavors of the Syrah-based and Grenache-based wines
whether they come from the Rhône Valley, Spain, California or
Australia.
Amavi
Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
Amavi specializes in Syrah and Sémillon from Walla Walla
Washington. Amavi Cab 2003 is a blend of 81% Cab, 14% Merlot, 4% Syrah
and 2% Malbec.
Agapito
Rico Carchelo Jumilla Monastrell 2004
Rico consolidated old Monastrell (aka Mourvèdre) plantings and
added new Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet and Tempranillo plantings. Carchelo
Monastrell 2004 was sourced from old low-yield Monastrell vines, with
minor portions of Syrah and Merlot blended in.
Hewitson
"Miss Harry" GSM 2004
I went in search of an aussie wine which was made from grapes that are
traditionally grown in the Rhone region, eventually settling on the
Hewitson Miss Harry which is a blend of 44% Grenache, 43% Shiraz and
13% Mourvegrave.
2002
Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz (South Australia)
Twin
Fin Merlot 2003
We liked the Twin Fin Shiraz when we tried it; it, too, featured a
slightly off-putting screw cap.
Heathcote
Estate Shiraz 2003
I don’t know about you but considering the hype surrounding Heathcote
Shiraz in recent times a lot of the wines I have tried have left me
feeling a little under whelmed, this wine, I am happy to say, is one of
the exceptions.