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The Humpday Tipples, Volume Four: Syrah

Syrah Tasting: June 9, 2010

Syrah, you spicy, meaty, smoky, fruity, spicy, leathery grape, we love you. From California to Australia, you make some fine wines. You also appear in Yellowtail form, but we forgive you. That's not your fault.

We chose six wines from the world's major Syrah-producing regions for the Humpday Tipples crew, each representing a different expression of the grape. For dinner we served an assortment of charcuterie followed by spiced lamb shoulder slow-cooked, pulled, and served over basmati rice. Chocolates were dessert.

Bottle 1: Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes Du Rhône Les Forots 2005, Rhône, France ($15)

Rank Amateurs Said: light blue-red color, red fruit and leather in the nose, high acidity, medium body, saddle, tomato skin, not very concetrated, short finish

In a Word: Tangy

Paired with Food: Much better with food to balance the acidity in the wine

2005 Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes Du Rhône Les Forots

Bottle 2: Snoqualmie Columbia Valley Syrah 2006, Columbia Valley, WA ($10.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: blue-red color, tobacco, blackberry, smoke, and cherry in the nose, oak, dried fruit, meat, medium acidity, medium body, licorice in the finish

In a Word: Fruitcake (Spanish style, as in spice + dried fruit)

Paired with Food: Smoke and fruit were enhanced with lamb

2006 Snoqualmie Columbia Valley Syrah

Bottle 3: Qupé Central Coast Syrah 2007, Central Coast, CA ($16.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: blue-red color, blackberry, tobacco, new leather, and flowers in the nose, high acidity, medium body, short finish

In a Word: Fresh

Paired with Food: Fruit was good foil for the lamb, acid cut the fat

2007 Qupé Central Coast Syrah

Bottle 4: Franck Balthazar Cornas Chaillot 2007, Rhône, France ($47.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: purple-red color, tobacco, dried cranberry, beef jerky, stewed herbs, smoke, and leather in the nose, "pop rocks," mineral, damp soil, agave, salted licorice, salt, medium acidity, medium body, anise on the finish

In a Word: Complex

Paired with Food: Flavors continued to evolve with the charcuterie and the lamb, drawing out more in the wine

2007 Franck Balthazar Cornas Chaillot

Bottle 5: Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2008, Rhône, France ($32.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: purple-red color, herbal, peppery, red and back fruit in the nose, rosemary, medium acidity, medium body, long finish

In a Word: Herbal

Paired with Food: Rosemary and herb notes went well with all the meats

2008 Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage

Bottle 6: Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz 1996, Barossa Valley, Australia ($49.99)

Rank Amateurs Said: tawny-purple color, decanted to remove much sediment, highly concentrated, plum, dark cherry, shoe leather, and tobacco in the nose, "candy-covered almonds," "like a wallet in a cigar box," cherry jam, cooked plums, medium acidity, full body, very long finish

In a Word: Evolved

Paired with Food: Kept evolving throughout the meal, always tasted something new with each bite

1996 Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz

Receipt, Syrah Tasting: June 9, 2010

Links

Snoqualmie Vineyards
Qupé Wine Cellars
Grant Burge Wines

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