Syrah

This is a blend of 67% Syrah, 21% Grenache, and 12% Terret Noir.  Purple/ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, black licorice, spice and smoke.  Medium to full bodied.  Well balanced.  On the palate, this drinks very easy.  Black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of black licorice and pepper.  Nice finish.  An interesting wine but also an enjoyable one.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  This is nice on its own and will work well with food.  A nice choice for a burger or meatloaf.  

This is in a great spot at age 17.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight gamey meat, and a bit of raspberries.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is deep with some complexity.  Black raspberry fruit with some black pepper and a hint of meatiness.  Nice finish.  This seems to be about at peak but should go another five to eight years at this level.  It drinks nicely on its own and will work well with roasted veggies, fowl or meats.  

An almost shy wine, this flagship red from Donnafugata does not announce itself with overt fruit. The wine needs some time to coax out the subtle flavors and the tight tannins at the outset tell you to wait a while before it opens up. When it does plum, muted strawberry, pomegranate, baked cherry and rose water dominate the opening. Comprised of Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, and Syrah, the tannins and acidity support the judicious use of oak. Aged 14 months in small French oak barrels it then spent 20 months in bottle rest. The result is a lovely wine that will work with a variety of foods.

Alban wines typically take some time to come around, but at age 7, this was drinking quite well.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats and roasted herbs, slight dark chocolate and black pepper.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  It is on the bigger side but not a monster.  Black raspberry fruit with some black  pepper and a bit of roasted herbs.  Long finish.

James Berry Vineyard is the home vineyard of Saxum and one of the great Rhone varietal vineyards in the world.  Mike Officer of Carlisle does a great job with his allotment.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, blueberries, black pepper, slight black olives and spice.  Full bodied.  Tannins are resolved.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black raspberries, blueberries and spice with underlying char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well and about at peak.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with (Vegetarian) Chil

Beautiful showing.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, anise, blueberries, spice, cedar and black pepper.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is still young but showing a lot of depth and some complexity.  Delicious.  Black raspberries, blueberries, coffee and anise with underlying char.  Great energy and liveliness.  Long finish.  Drink over the next thirty years.  Great on its own, this would be a nice accompaniment to a standing Rib Roast.  

This was purchased on release for around $15 and has been in my cellar ever since.  Really impressive showing.  Another wine that Robert Parker nailed!  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is expressive and very nice.  Black raspberries, espresso, smoked meats and black pepper.  Full bodied.  Tannins are resolved.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit with some complexity.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Drinking well at age 21, and while it probably can go another ten years, I would drink sooner than later.  This would work well with Roasted ro

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, char, and coffee grounds.  On the palate, lots of spices along with black raspberries and cedar.  Medium tannins. Nice texture.  Long finish.  This is drinking young but nicely.  It may still improve but should drink well for another twelve to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled lamb chops.  

A different take on Barossa Shiraz that was not helped by being tasted with a bunch of typical brawny Barossa Shiraz.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries with slight white pepper and a bit of cedar.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has a soft texture.  Boysenberry fruit with a slight cocoa note.  Moderate finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with grilled or roasted meats of vegetables.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  

Purple in color with some ruby  hues, opaque and bright.  The nose is a bit lighter with black raspberries, white pepper and slight clay.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberries with some char.  Good finish.  This is a bit lighter in style and makes for easy drinking over the next five to eight years.  A nice wine with a  burger.