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By Chuck Hill
Wines of the Week
Chuck's Wine Reviews
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Wines of the Week
Sexy Syrahs Pair with Spicy Foods
Part 1 of 2
Edenvale This wine hails from Medford, Oregon and is a blend of Syrah fruit from five southern Oregon growing areas. A favorite with our tasters, it shows a complex nose of strawberry, red currant, toasty oak and notes of chocolate and citrus. The spicy palate adds light tarry flavors with a minty/toasty finish. Very nice with mildly spiced meats.
Three Rivers Winery
This is another superb vintage of the Boushey Vineyard
Syrah from Three Rivers. Barrel aged in French oak (40% new), the wine
offers aromas of ripe blueberry,
Trio Vintners This recent addition to the Walla Walla Airport winery scene was founded by Steve Michener, Denise Slattery and Tim Boushey. These co-winemakers crafted this delicious Syrah offering spicy berry fruit and toasty oak on the nose, and seducing the palate with rich blueberry, blackberry and cocoa flavors on the palate. A great foil for spicy Indian meats from the tandoori oven.
Solena The Del Rio Vineyard in Oregon's Rogue Valley is providing superb fruit to many Northwest wineries. Winemaker Laurent Montalieu crafted this rich and mouthfilling Syrah from Del Rio grapes. Look for ripe cherry, tobacco and earthy notes on the nose and a rich palate of black fruits, toasty oak and vanilla on the palate. Great with spicy Italian sausages from the grill.
Coeur d'Alene Cellars One of several Syrahs produced by CdA Cellars, the reserve Opulence is sourced predominantly from old vines on the McKinley Springs vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. This wine offered the most complex and appealing aromas in our tastings; cherry, plum, cocoa, baking spice, citrus and toasty vanilla weave an olfactory symphony. Rich flavors of plum and berry are well integrated with toasty oak, earth and spicy notes on the palate.
Thurston Wolfe
Wade Wolfe celebrated his winery's 20th anniversary in
2007 and released his 2005 Syrah just in time for toasting! Vinted from
grapes grown at Andrews Vineyard (Horse Heaven Hills) and Burgess
Vineyard (near Pasco), the wine offers aromas of spicy black fruits,
light tarry notes and vanilla. The palate is redolent of cherry, spicy
plum and tobacco.
Red Knot This delicious Shiraz has more of a Beaujolais quality than the other Syrah wines listed here. I love Beaujolais. Strawberry and blackberry on the nose lead to juicy berry palate with notes of chocolate and hints of toasty oak. An excellent pairing with a variety of spicy dishes!
William Church Winery This 100% Syrah was sourced from the Dineen Family Vineyard near Zillah in the Yakima Valley. The wine was aged in 100% new oak (20% French, 80% American), which gives it a toasty nose over ripe fruit aromas of cherry and blackberry. The palate is firm with flavors of cassis, cherry, tobacco and vanilla. A powerful wine that complements spicy barbecue beef brisket.
Barnard Griffin A recent announcement that Barnard Griffin is building a new wine facility in the Columbia Gorge is exciting news to fans of this family-owned winery in Richland. A great example of Rob Griffin's value-priced varietals, the 2005 Syrah features ripe aromas of blackberry, plum and toasty oak. The palate is juicy with berry flavors and soft tannins that pair well with spicy barbecued pork. # # #
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spicy
currant, cocoa and toast with hints of earth and vanilla. The palate is
rich with tangy and spicy fruit, yet somewhat hard, tempting the taster
to lay some away to mellow.
