Que Syrah, Syrah!

It was my love of fine wine that led me to follow my muse by attending culinary school. As a result, my culinary mission statement has always read “a meal is never complete unless it is accompanied by great wine.” Hence, adding a well chosen, value oriented bottle can make a simple meal a great one.

That brings me to the current and frequently misunderstood state of Syrah in the USA. Originating in the Rhone region of France, this varietal has received a lot of publicity lately, with high profile bottlings from Central Coast producers like Alban and Ojai Vineyards joining the standard bearers from France as well as the already well-know Australian producers like Penfold’s and D’Arenburg. Where Australian Shiraz tends to be big, chewy fruit filled wines, the French versions aim for elegance. Both perfectly match the cuisine of their home regions.

So where do the American versions of these wines fit on the pallet spectrum? Are they big wines that share characteristics of big chardonnays and zinfandels, which can be pallet killers? Alternatively, do they have the balance and acidity that leaves your mouth wanting more? Rosenblum Cellars’ Fess Parker Vineyard Syrah is a great example of the latter. This wine proved to be a perfect accompaniment to all my live fire favorites, from smoked brisket, to BBQ ribs, to Rotisserie loin of pork. It was so attractively priced that I bought a case as our designated house red wine for the summer season.

With over 175 wineries pouring their latest Rhone-style releases, the annual Rhone Rangers tasting held in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Festival Building was the perfect place to get a status report on just how well American winemakers are doing with Syrah.

The event proved to be a revelation. When I last attended the event in 2004, I found the wines interesting, but not worth pursuing. Not anymore. There were many wines that showed amazing finesse and versatility. Another surprise was the quality of the whites, but that is a discussion for another day.

Many of the producers showcased at the tasting are not well-known, but worth seeking out. Look for Edmonds St. John, Beckman Cellars, Blue Cellars, Hearthstone Estates, Palmeri, and Provisor. Many hail from lesser known regions like Paso Robles, Amador and Santa Barbara Counties. All were truly memorable.

There were some surprises in wines from producers best known for other varietals. Martinelli, known for pinot noirs and chardonnays, makes a killer syrah. Truchard, known for traditional California varietals such as cabernet and merlot, pour a top shelf syrah. Value producer Columbia Crest poured a syrah reserve that packed more value in a $30 bottle than many bottles priced twice as much

With their unique spiciness and gobs well balanced fruit and tannins, my pick for event’s best producer was Four Vines from Paso Robles. With none of their wines costing more that $40, Four Vines quality is matched only by their value. Unfortunately, they have such a limited production, that the only way to get your hands on some of their wines is to join their wine club.

All this brings me back to my original question, what do you serve with these wines? Syrah is a great wine for outdoor cooking. Grilled and smoked meat and fish are naturals. On the fish side, salmon in almost any form is a formidable match. Syrah is also a splendid accompaniment to grilled game, braised meats, and very hearty poultry dishes. You get the idea, almost anything that you can serve with zinfandel! Now I understand why Rosenblum, one of the top zin houses in California, is also focusing on syrah in a big way. Following their lead, so am I.