Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Syrah 2009

cakebread is one of those wineries that you hear about and want to try based on reputation. we recently had the opportunity to try a couple of their wines. the syrah sells for about $55,  which is a bit pricey for me. the nose has black cherry, some nice violet notes, and some nice earthy notes that i like. the palate had blackberry, plum, black pepper and more of the earthy notes i usually associate with syrah. lots of tannins in this at the beginning, so open it up and let it sit for a while. nice long finish of fruit and smoky earth. nice wine. didn't blow me away. i guess i expected a little more based on the price and reputation.

Lenore 2007 Columbia Valley Syrah

washington state cult winery corvidae makes some really nice wines. their syrah is priced right at about $15 and is a real find. the nose has red fruit, smoke, and earth notes. the palate has lots of dark fruit. black currant, blueberry, and black raspberry. then the terroir makes its presence known. lots of ash, earth and smokey notes come through. this wine definitely needs some air before you drink it. the tannins are fairly bold when the wine is first opened. decant or pour a glass and walk away for an hour. then enjoy it by itself or with a hearty stew, ribs, or a burger.

Castle Rock 2007 Syrah

syrah lovers will like this one from the columbia valley in washington. selling for about $10, you can expect a very nice quality wine. the nose has nice raspberry and cherry notes and some spicy earth too. the palate is wonderfully jammy with more raspberry and cherry flavors, followed by some spice and some nice firm tannins. i got a nice licorice note in the finish too. excellent value wine that will work with a wide variety of foods from spicy dishes to red meats.

Kinkead Ridge River Village Cellars 2006 Syrah

ohio winery kinkead ridge is in ripley, ohio near the ohio river, east of cincinnati. they make some excellent wines and this syrah is no exception. this is under the river village cellars label which is their lower priced, every day wine label. the nose was dark fruit (black cherry, blackberry), some spice notes and that wonderful earthy note i love so much in syrah. the palate had plums and blackberries, followed by spice and earthy flavors. beautifully silky on the tongue, this is a must try wine if you can find it. the winery sells out fairly quickly as they have a very big fan base. count me in as one of them. this one sells for about $12.

Rudi Schultz Syrah 2007

a have two more wines from south africa that i would like to write about. first is this beautiful syrah from winemaker rudi schultz. i love a good syrah and this one will now occupy a place near the top of my list of go to syrahs. selling for about $35 (but do some searching and you can save about $5), this 100% syrah has a nose of black cherry, raspberry and some nice earth tones. the palate is more black cherry, along with blackberry and some nice cocoa powder. nice earthy flavors and some tar and licorice in this one too. excellent red if you like a full bodied red with lots of flavors and medium tannins and a long finish. break out the steak, hearty stew or the red pasta dish for this one.

Justin 2003 Syrah Paso Robles

i have had this bottle lying for a while and had an occasion that deserved a decent wine. this is the second bottle i have had but the first time i had an opportunity to write about it. the folks at justin are well known for producing some very nice wines. how did this one stack up? the nose had plenty of black cherry, blackberry and pepper notes. also got some nice leather and earth notes. if this was anything like the last bottle i had, it was going to be well worth leaving it lay for a few years. the palate was smooth and very soft, with blackberry, subtle spice notes of pepper, and toasted oak. but the real interesting flavor to come through was the earthy, gamey flavor that i really enjoy in a red. excellent wine with beef stew, pasta, or a hearty barley soup. sells for about $24.

Fess Parker 2003 Syrah Santa Barbara County

i've had this one before and visited the winery in santa barbara and decided to try a bottle again. nose was black cherry, with an herbal minty note and some spice notes as well. flavor was blueberry and that herbal, cooling taste and some nice spice (nutmeg?) and vanilla notes. medium, well balanced tannins and some really interesting meat notes toward the finish as well. full mouth feel. nice red which sells for $23.

Duxoup Syrah 2005

this syrah was something the comely brunette and i tried at a wine tasting last fall and we purchased a bottle to lay for a bit. the nose was black cherry, licorice, and earthy, smokey notes. after some of the disappointing, mediocre wines of late, i was looking forward to something that really knocked my socks off and the nose on this one had me thinking i was in for a treat. i was not disappointed. the taste was black cherry, pepper, licorice and some dark chocolate notes. a bit tannic, but softened with time. this one does not fall into the really tight budget wine, selling for about $25, but it is very nice, very complex, very bold. a keeper and worth another try in the future.

Syrah/Shiraz Double Header

sorry for all the reviews on the syrah/shiraz side of things. i have quite a few in my cellar right now from a wine festival purchase. the double header?…four vines 2005 syrah from paso robles, ca and jacob's creek 2005 reserve shiraz from barossa valley australia. these two make for an interesting comparison. the california syrah had a nose of plum and hints of menthol. there was also a heat due to the alcohol content of 15%, which i wasn't to crazy about. on the palate it was very full bodied with blackberry, licorice and spice…and a little too much alcohol burn. this would be a much nicer wine if it weren't for the higher alcohol content. $about 18 for this one. the jacob's creek shiraz had a similar nose of plums and spice without the alcohol heat. on the palate, very intense blackberry and spice notes, followed by a velvet vanilla flavor. also around the $18 price. this wine would easily lay down for the next 5-10 years and have something to show after that time. if you want bold, in your face taste with a big alcohol kick, go for the four vines. i would prefer the alternate and go with a little more subtle complex taste of the shiraz. cheers!

Trapiche 2005 Syrah

into the nice price wine. this syrah goes for around $11. not in the crabby grapes "cheap" territory, but close. nose of spice and red currants. on the palate, red plums and some tobacco, licorice and black pepper notes. very drinkable. not one you would want to lay for a while, it is ready now. well worth the price.

Bridlewood 2003 Syrah

wow. i have had this before and i just opened a bottle of the '03 from the 2007 wine festival. earthy nose. hints of cedar, vanilla, and deep floral notes. tastes of cassis and dried blackberry, dark chocolate and mocha. soft tannins and a chewy mouth feel, with a beautiful, long finish. this wine opens up as it has more time to breathe. then the licorice flavors start to kick in, adding to the beauty of this wine. excellent syrah which i highly recommend. priced anywhere from $15-30 depending on where you buy, this is an excellent red that pairs well with grilled meats.

opened a bottle of fess parker 2003 santa barbara county syrah. a wine festival acquisition. full bodied. spicey with undertones of vanilla and cocoa. beautiful finish. drank this with out any food, but this would work really well with a nice steak and some garlic mashed potatoes. an excellent wine. rated 93 points by wine enthusiast, this wine is typical of a really good california syrah. well worth the the $$ that you lay down for it.

the quest for the penfolds port will continue. my favorite wine source didn't and couldn't get it, so i will search elsewhere.