Top US Syrahs

[Roger_Ouellette]

Scherrer - Calypso Vineyard
Ventoux
Adelaida
Bedrock
Arcadian

and the sleeper
Red Car

[Matt_Mauldin]

My recent faves are Lagier-Meredith, Drew, Arnot-Roberts, Domaine Terre Rouge, Gramercy, Donelan and Halcon.

[BobMilton]

OK, my list:

Epoch Estate
Tablas Creek
Tercero (how did no one mention this yet?)
Tensley
Andrew Murray

[J.Vizuete]

In no particular order:

1. Pax Sonoma Hillsides
2. Shafer Relentless
3. Alban Reva
4. Tensley Colson Canyon
5. Carlisle Papa’s

[Hank_Victor]

Gramercy
Pax
Cayuse

This

[GregT]

But, like pinot noir, IMHO syrah is a grape in which even the best American versions cannot compare with the greatest French counterparts.

Gotta disagree.

Would be nice if someone with experience with a lot of these wines could group them into “Leaner” vs. “Opulent/Big Style”

Here’s a shot. I’m sure people will disagree. I haven’t had enough versions of some of those mentioned to opine, but this is how I kind of line them up. In no particular order under each category and it’s not like there are clean lines anyway. Some of them, like Lagier Meredith, seem to have bigger or more noticeable tannins than others, while some, like Failla, Wilde and Baker Lane have a nice black pepper note, and others are less distinctive but still nice. There’s a huge range of flavor profiles, which is what makes Syrah such an interesting grape. The ABV is a data point, but I wouldn’t buy based on that. Usually I have no idea what it is and decide whether or not I like a wine before bothering to check.

Leaner style, although I wouldn’t necessarily call them lean, but more on the savory end of the spectrum rather than the big fruit end. some are made by the same wine maker (Pax), and some, like Pax and Wilde Farm, come in at under 13% ABV:

Edmunds St. John
Halcon
Peay
Arnot-Roberts
Wind Gap
Wilde Farm
Pax (new style)
Baker Lane
Cabot
Failla
Tablas Creek
Drew

Kind of in the middle - not jammy but also not quite like the first group (some of these with ABV of under 14%). To me, this may be the group that makes Syrah difficult for the average customer:

Jaffurs
Ojai
Gramercy
K Vintners
Betz
Copain
Lagier Meredith
Tercero
Stolpman
Keplinger
Mryiad
Bedrock
Cayuse
Donelan
Reynvaan
Dutton Goldfield
Rotie Cellars

Big style - these guys like fruit and aren’t ashamed to admit it. Doesn’t mean bad wine, just very different from those in the first group:
SQN
Saxum
Alban
Herman Story
Pax (pre Donelan breakup)
Larner
Bevan
Tor
Lucia
Colgin
Booker
Carlisle

[P_Intag]

OK, my list:

Epoch Estate
Tablas Creek
Tercero (how did no one mention this yet?)
Tensley
Andrew Murray

I’ll second the Tercero - especially Larner Vineyard!

[Sc0tt_F_tzgerald]

Just checked my notes…my top 10 US Syrahs over the past 6 years (since I’ve been using CT):

2010 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard
2010 Lillian Winery Syrah
2012 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah T ‘n’ S Blocks Hudson Vineyard South
2014 Carlisle Syrah Papa’s Block
2010 O’Shaughnessy Syrah Mt. Veeder
2010 Gorman Winery Syrah The Pixie
2010 Shafer Relentless
2012 Myriad Cellars Syrah 100% Whole Cluster Las Madres Vineyard
2012 Pax Syrah Griffin’s Lair
2012 Myriad Cellars Syrah Esther Block Las Madres Vineyard

[Brian_Tuite]

Any list without Peay is incomplete

OP asked what are “your” top 5 Syrahs.

I’ve never had a Peay so it can’t scratch my top 5 list. I’ve had a lot of other great Syrahs, not on my list, one time. Unless I can repeat a great tatsing experience I can’t put something at the top of my list as many wine experiences can be one offs for my palate and don’t show the same next go-round.

That is a fair point. Sorry for being a bit rude with my response. Try one with about 8-10 years of age on it if you get the chance.

You weren’t rude in the slightest.

[Reginald_Wheeler]

SQN
Colgin
Alban
Kongsgaard
Lillian

[Joe_Heflin]

Reynvaan Stonessence (‘09 ((first year)), ‘10 and ‘11 are all superb right now. ‘10 Royal City is excellent also but a totally different wine. For CA I believe Sanguis ‘09 Six White Horses is one of the best syrahs ever from that area. I have 3 vintages of Bionic Frog but hesitate to open them young.

[Josh_Grossman]

The top rated in my cellar are:
Riverain Syrah Cardiac Hill Bennett Valley
Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Exposition Three Weill Vineyard Sonoma Valley
Copain Syrah Brosseau Vineyard Chalone
Dunham Cellars Syrah Artist Series Lewis Vineyard Columbia Valley
Donelan Syrah Walker Vine Hill Russian River Valley
Grand Rêve Vintners Syrah Collaboration Series Reserve Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain
Donelan Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Exposition Two Weill Vineyard Sonoma Valley
Gramercy Cellars Syrah “Lagniappe” Columbia Valley
Myriad Cellars Syrah Halcon Vineyard Yorkville Highlands
Force Majeure Collaboration Series III Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

SQN
Alban
Saxum
Cayuse
Carlisle (QPR); Dumol (had a great 07 last week); Myriad/Quivet; Pax 2.0/Agharta

I had trouble coloring between the lines in grade school.

[Eric_S_n_y_d_e_r]

Jaffurs - just opened a 2002 Jaffurs Melville!
Carlisle
Piedrasassi
Bedrock
Pax

Honorable mentions:
Alban
Saxum
SQN
Not my preferred style, but I still have a lot in my cellar and enjoy them.

Up and comer:
Melville
I believe 2016 is the first vintage with Chad as winemaker? Tasted recently and really liked the range of Syrahs.

Really good but don’t drink often enough:
Ojai Vineyard
Myriad

[Ian_S]

Goat Rocks Vineyards

[Antonio_G]

My faves include:

Arnot-Roberts (surprised I didn’t see others list this one)
Rhys
Arcadian
Alban
Lillian

Cheers,

Bill

Good list - These are about the same for me, may add older Pax in there

[Alan_Rath]

But, like pinot noir, IMHO syrah is a grape in which even the best American versions cannot compare with the greatest French counterparts.

Gotta disagree.

Would be nice if someone with experience with a lot of these wines could group them into “Leaner” vs. “Opulent/Big Style”

Here’s a shot. I’m sure people will disagree. I haven’t had enough versions of some of those mentioned to opine, but this is how I kind of line them up. In no particular order under each category and it’s not like there are clean lines anyway. Some of them, like Lagier Meredith, seem to have bigger or more noticeable tannins than others, while some, like Failla, Wilde and Baker Lane have a nice black pepper note, and others are less distinctive but still nice. There’s a huge range of flavor profiles, which is what makes Syrah such an interesting grape. The ABV is a data point, but I wouldn’t buy based on that. Usually I have no idea what it is and decide whether or not I like a wine before bothering to check.

Leaner style, although I wouldn’t necessarily call them lean, but more on the savory end of the spectrum rather than the big fruit end. some are made by the same wine maker (Pax), and some, like Pax and Wilde Farm, come in at under 13% ABV:

Edmunds St. John
Halcon
Peay
Arnot-Roberts
Wind Gap
Wilde Farm
Pax (new style)
Baker Lane
Cabot
Failla
Tablas Creek
Drew

Kind of in the middle - not jammy but also not quite like the first group (some of these with ABV of under 14%). To me, this may be the group that makes Syrah difficult for the average customer:

Jaffurs
Ojai
Gramercy
K Vintners
Betz
Copain
Lagier Meredith
Tercero
Stolpman
Keplinger
Mryiad
Bedrock
Cayuse
Donelan
Reynvaan
Dutton Goldfield
Rotie Cellars

Big style - these guys like fruit and aren’t ashamed to admit it. Doesn’t mean bad wine, just very different from those in the first group:
SQN
Saxum
Alban
Herman Story
Pax (pre Donelan breakup)
Larner
Bevan
Tor
Lucia
Colgin
Booker
Carlisle

That’s a pretty good breakdown (though I don’t have experience with all of them). I’d add Rhys to your first group, move Copain from the 2nd group to the first (post 2007), I’d probably put Carlisle in the 2nd group, similar to Bedrock.

[R_Gaston]

Top US Syrah’s…

Arcadian
Qupe
SQN
Copain
Alban

[Brian_Glas]

I really enjoyed the Syrahs at Va Piano and Saviah. Stopped by the tasting rooms in Walla Walla today.

[Alan_Eden]

Im surprised Alban is getting so much love, its one of my favourite wines but i thought it was considered to “big” for most people