MD TASTING GROUP - SYRAH - (5/17/2026)
First gathering of MD burbs tasting group. Theme: Syrah. Wines tasted blind across four random flights.
- 2021 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Syrah Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Smoky, feral nose with hot asphalt and green peppercorn. Palate adds bright blueberry fruit and a bit of pepper. Tart and tannic. Great food wine and really stood out for its savoriness. WOTF - 2014 Lillian Winery Syrah - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Cabernet aromatics: cassis, leather, tobacco. Ripe and oak-polished with vanilla and baking spice. Pleasant wine but doesn't speak of Syrah to me. More of a fireside sipper than a food wine. - 2009 Clarendon Hills Astralis - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
Raisins, rubber, oxidized aromatics. Structure was balanced, with ample acidity and resolved tannins, but the fruit character was really on the edge of cooked. More an intellectual experience than a pleasure to drink. Highly divisive with the group.
- 2018 Peay Vineyards Syrah La Bruma - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Smoke, bacon fat and sulfur on the nose. Palate goes the other way, leads with dark fruit and black pepper. Missing some heft. This will probably drink better with age once the fruit recedes and lets the savoriness shine through. - 2001 Rene Rostaing CĂ´te-RĂ´tie La Landonne - France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, CĂ´te-RĂ´tie
Incredible perfume, I could just keep nosing this for hours letting the aromatics wash by. Leather predominates, colored by dried cherry, reminds me of a well-worn baseball glove. Beyond that, there's just an ineffable seductiveness. On the palate, the wine is pliant and gentle, with cherries, spice, and herbal savoriness all ribboning past. WOTN - 2010 Soliste Cellars Syrah La Sauvage - USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley
Confectionary nose: blackberry, bramble, vanilla. Palate adds black pepper to bring a savory slant. Drinking young, could see further development here although there is an enticing richness of fruit currently.
- 2008 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Ruchets - France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, Cornas
Showing some age in the glass, faded red-orange rim. Nose is ripe plum, dark fruits, smoky with a touch of dried fig and vanilla. Rich and balanced on the palate. This is a delicious wine, but rather international in style, with only a hint of smoke and barely any spice pointing towards the N Rhone. - 2022 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Syrah Brosseau Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Chalone
Cherry, bright and crunchy fruit, herbal. Reminded me of Loire Cab Franc. Savory spice came more to the fore on the palate. A joyful wine to drink young, although I'm sure age will bring evolution. I preferred the '21. - 1999 E. Guigal Hermitage - France, RhĂ´ne, Northern RhĂ´ne, Hermitage
Tertiary aromatics: smoke, fennel, sage, leather and black pepper. Still retains power on the palate with big velvety tannins and lots of spice backed by cherry fruit. Excellent. WOTF
- 1997 Elderton Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa
Impression of latex and strawberries on the nose. Alcohol stands out on the palate. Not a winner on the night. - 2021 Cep Vineyards Syrah Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Another young Syrah with bright and crunchy primary fruit. Delicious but simple. WOTF - 2003 Jeff Cohn Cellars Syrah Caldwell Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
Final wine of the night and I seem to have only written down "ruby". Coming back to it the next day, found it fruit-forward, concentrated but balanced. Not my style but drinking well.
