Syrah

A blend of Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Zinfandel, and some other stuff too.  Ruby in color, purple at the rim.  The nose is nice.  Cherries, dark cherries, spice, chocolate and pepper.  Also some leather.  On the palate, there is some varietal complexity.  Not a ton of depth but width.  Easy to drink.  Firm tannins.  Probably better drunk in the next few years to enjoy its vibrancy.  It retails for under $25 and that is a fair price.  This is one of those fruit forward, kitchen sink wines that are popular right now and this competes with them and beats most on price.  Attractive, silk screened l

76% Syrah, 13% Monastrell, and 11% Bobal.  This is a blend coming from central Spain.  It is a more modern take despite being from an almost forgotten wine region.  Purple in color.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, some plums, black pepper, roasted meats and herbs.  On the palate, this is at peak.  No hurry but I would drink in the next five to ten years.  Layers of black raspberry fruit with earth and pepper.  A nice complexity.  Good balance.  Good on its own or with food.  This was a powerhouse in its youth but has matured nicely.  When you drink them really is more of an issue

Purple in color.  The nose is nice with black pepper, black raspberries, slight roasted herbs, and some bacon fat.  Full bodied.  Cooler climate in style.  On the palate, boysenberries, black pepper, slight earthiness with good acidity.  Slight tannins.  deep and layered.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This went very well with Indian food (Syrah is a surprisingly good food match with Indian food).  Seems to be still on the younger side of peak though drinking well now.  

Pop and pour, this wine is in a great place right now.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, slight roasted meats and with air, blueberries and floral notes.  Very nice.  On the palate, this is layered and complex.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit, slight blueberries along with an underlying char.  Great balance.  It is actually a bit soft in texture from what I expected which is not a bad thing.  Complex and almost seamless.  Not sure if it gets better, but certainly no hurry, this has decades left.  Great wine.  

Looking for a new winery to follow.  If you like American Rhone wines, this is one to check out.  Purple in color, deep and inky.  On the nose, black raspberries, black pepper, roasted meat and spice/vanilla.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit.  Deep.  Medium tannins.   Good balance.  This is a big wine.  It is delicious now but if your prefer a little more restraint, I think this has the stuffing to age for another decade, perhaps two.  

From Natacha Chave, a new producer for me.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries and saline along with some black olives and spice.  On the palate, this has black raspberries showing as a bit of a cough drop.  Nice finish.  Overall, not the most complex but tasty and drinking quite well.  

What a treat to drink a wine at age 20 that is still young but yet gorgeous.  Ruby in color.  The nose has black raspberries, a bit of fireworks, and a nice tarragon note.  complex on the nose and palate.  On the palate, black raspberries layered with rocks and minerals.  Opens beautifully in the glass.  Long finish.  This has a couple of decades of life left and indeed is still at least 5 years from peak based on this bottle.  Bought on release and cellared in my cellar.  Gorgeous wine.  

This is still young and a but tight.  It is a gorgeous wine but give it some air if you are going to drink soon.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is clean with slight earthiness, a bit of bacon fat and boysenberry fruit.  Seems like a bit brighter acidity than these wines usually have which is nice.  Perhaps just a function of the rest of the wine being tight.  On the palate, black cherries, boysenberries, and a  mineral streak that is very nice.  Deep.  Long finish.  I would hold for at least 5 years but it should last for decades.  At least a couple or more points of upside.  

Always a privilege to be able to taste one of the worlds great wines and also one of my personal favorites.  This is drinking very well at only 7 years from vintage and was quite open and much more accessible than a taste a few years ago.  Ruby in color, slight purple at the core.  The nose has some barnyard going along with black raspberries and white pepper.  The barnyard is well under control though I would still look for well stored bottles if buying now.  Complex and layered on the palate with boysenberry fruit and earth and minerals.  Slightly drying but in a good way that is quite in

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is classic and quite nice.  Black olives jump from the glass.  Also black raspberries, slight black pepper.  On the palate, tart black raspberries with nice minerals.  Light tannins.  Decent acidity.  Long finish.  Still young and with some upside potential as these gain in complexity.