TN: Syrahs - mostly Rhone

Notes from a blind tasting of Syrah based wines.

We always start off with a white and end with a cheese wine, not always in theme (and obviously not in this case, white Syrah being an unlikely (although certainly not unheard of, at least in Rosé form).

Jacquesson Cuvée No. 735 – mostly 2007 fruit in this nv blend, but showing enough complexity that you’d believe it to be maybe 5 years older. Toasty nose and softer than expected finish makes this a wine to be drunk rather than hold.

1998 Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg – a bonus dry white that was quite impressive. It seemed far younger and showed an excellent nose of honeyed pear and spice, good fruit on palate and a medium long balanced finish.

1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde – this wine was in excellent shape, and although it lacked the floral element we sometimes find in the nose, it was otherwise quite captivating with a balanced elegance and lots of flavour interest.

2005 Pierre Gaillard Côte-Rôtie – nose of plummy, not too ripe dark fruit and an elevating whiff of white pepper, followed by a smooth and elegant presentation on palate. Nothing to criticize here.

2005 Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Thalabert – nose of dark fruit and vanilla, smooth on palate but the backing tannins should smooth out with more time – Thalabert is one of the longest ageing Crozes.

2003 Sandhill Phantom Vineyard Syrah – from our BC wine fan, this represents perhaps the best Syrah made in the province. Perhaps a hint of VA in the nose, but nothing off-putting, followed by some nice coffee and vanilla. Sweet in the mouth and medium long. Well put together wine.

1997 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Méal – dark wine with a sweet vanilla and roast meat (or could it have been the ribs we were eating?) and some nice herbal touches. Still on the fir side on palate but drinking quite well. No rush.

1992 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Barossa Shiraz – still a fairly deep red colour but with lightening edges now, and a nose that featured currant/cherry, and with a bit of airing, some light mint. Quite well turned out on palate with balanced acidity and soft tannins. Won’t get any better but it showed what Australia is capable of with mature wines that don’t try and use the usual shock and awe approach. Always the iconoclast, this was my wine as I’d figured most people would opt for French.

1995 Chapoutier Cornas – as penance for breaking the line of mostly European wines, I opened my back up bottle (to absolutely no opposition from the crowd). It showed very well with a nose of initial dill, but after that faded, red fruit, saddle leather and a floral element with some nice spice. Medium bodied and long, it exceeded my expectations.

Krohn 30 Year Tawny Port – bottled in 2013, this wine showed lightly toasted almonds in the nose, and a bit too much alcohol, with some fig/date notes. Quite sweet on palate. Pleasant.

nice line up Bill, as always!

I’m curious whether you decanted the 98 Guigal. I bought a bunch and have never been excited by it. I was never sure if I’d drunk them to young (I opened the first more than a decade ago) or didn’t decant them long enough.

I believe he had decanted the 98, and other than lacking some of the grace notes in terms of the nose, it was a creditable performance.

Coincidentally I had also opened my last bottle of the 1995 Brune et Blonde shortly before - now in mild decline but better in the nose than the 98.

Was this in Vancouver? I was there last week. If I’d known…

I had a couple of bottles of the 95 Ch. d’Ampuis but they were not that thrilling. I’m afraid the wonderful Guigal C-Rs of old are no more.

It was indeed - West Vancouver.

Give a holler next time you come to town and maybe we can set something up.

John. The 98 Guigal was decanted for about an hour. I think I liked it a little more then Bill. It was so elegant and to me floral.