2016 Fess Parker Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Ah, Daniel Boone. RIP. Sometimes Fess Parker wines get dissed by the cognoscenti. That's too bad as they make really good wines at affordable prices. This was purchased for $25 and was an excellent Syrah. It kept getting better with air. It probably needs a nice decant or a few more years in a cellar but it was very enjoyable right now. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is dusty with spice and black raspberries. On the palate, this drinks delicious. Juice acidity. Black raspberry fruit with a softer texture. Black olives. It is sweet with what sees to be slight residual sugar. Nice finish. This would be popular at BBQ's this summer. Really a top value.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2016

Current Price:

$19.00USD

2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

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2018 Fess Parker Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Vintage:

2018

Score:

Grade:

B+

Current Price:

$25.00USD

Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is dusty with black raspberries and black pepper. Medium bodied. On the palate, black raspberries with slight bitter cherries on the finish. Long finish. This improves with a bit of air. Obviously young, this might still improve but either way, it should drink well for the next five to eight years. A nice quaff on its own, it will work well with (veggie) burgers off the grill.

America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. Last month we discussed the white Rhone style wines offered at the 2008 Rhone Rangers tasting event at Fort Mason in San Francisco on March 18. This month we turn to the reds, of which we tasted 50. Among those we tasted were some old favorites and some wineries or bottlings with which we were not yet familiar. We don’t pretend that we tasted a representative group of wines, because our sample was skewed to wines we have loved in the past and others about which we have heard positive comments.

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Top Ten California Syrahs - 2016

I tend to taste and drink a lot of wine over the course of a year. I am in a few tasting groups, sometimes the wines are consumed at various local wine store tastings and a number drunk with friends and family.

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Top 10 California Syrahs - The Wine List - October 2014

Syrah is a grape that most wine merchants will tell you is a difficult sell. It seems it’s always going to be the next big thing, but never is. For consumers, that’s a good thing. A great Syrah usually will cost far less than a comparable quality Cabernet or Pinot Noir. For my money, I tend to buy more Syrah than any other grape. A disclaimer here – I liked it so much, I started to make it. In any event, as the temperatures start to drop, fall is great time for a hearty red with dinner or next to a warming fire. Syrah is a grape that really changes its personality depending on where it is grown. Cooler climate Syrahs can be quite different from warmer climate ones. California has plenty of each. While I love many of the cooler climate Syrahs, most of the ones listed below are warmer climate Syrahs. In my opinion, that is where the very best of Syrahs from California can be found.

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2016 Fess Parker Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

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2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

2018 Fess Parker Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

America’s Best Rhone Style Red Wines: 11th Annual Rhone Rangers Tasting Reviewed

Top Ten California Syrahs - 2016

Top 10 California Syrahs - The Wine List - October 2014