Syrah
Domaine Faury
Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2019
2019 vintage. Fragrant nose of lavender, crushed violets, ripe black plum, gray sea salt and charcoal. Medium body. Initially comes across as pretty and polished vs chunky and rustic but the big tobacco notes on the finish drag it squarely into the center of the ring for now. — 2 days ago
Domaine Champet
Les Fils à Jo Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2018
Real talk: I’m a little embarrassed to admit that this is my first experience with the wines of Domaine Champet. When I consider that their approach to winemaking is philosophically aligned with my own preferences, how did this meeting not happen before now? Maybe it’s because they only make 1000 cases of wine a year? Maybe it’s because I live in Nebraska. Whatever the reason, it no longer matters because I have now experienced what cannot be undone. For a bit of reference, the family has a rather rich, (Romain and Maxime are 4th generation), history working with vines in the “La Viallière” lieu-dit in the Côte Brune. “La Viallière” was made famous thanks to Dervieux (yes, as in Gentaz-Dervieux). The land is…improbable to farm…with some slopes close to 60°. Everything is performed by hand. This bottling, “Les Fils à Jo” focuses on the old vines from their holdings in “La Viallière”.
Popped and poured; consumed over 5 days, best on days 3-5 and the following notes reflect such. The wine pours a deep ruby with a near opaque core and pretty significant staining of the tears. Medium+ viscosity and every so slightly turbid. On the nose, blue and black fruits with bacon fat, lavender, kalamata olive, a whisper of baking spices…some white pepper, some tobacco…wild and beguiling. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium++ tannin and medium+ acid. Incredible texture. Confirming the fruit set and other aforementioned characteristics. There’s blueberry scone and an iron-ore kind of thing going "On and on and on, on and on and on; Checka checka it out, to the breaka breaka dawn". The finish is long…as in forever…and absolutely, positively divine. If tonight is any indication, this wine will drink well past 2040. Between the Levet’s and Champet’s, there are very few in Côte Rôtie making wines like this anymore. What is certain, is that this was one of those experiences where there was a time before, and a time after Champet. Certainly one of those I won’t ever forget. — 30 minutes ago
François Villard
l'Appel des Sereines Syrah 2019
Textbook Northern Rhone Syrah in a very affordable, drink now package. Bing cherry, currants, light and pleasantly integrated peppercorn and smoke notes, a touch of beef bouillon and soil. Medium bodied, pure textures of finely grained tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Med+ on the finish. If you have been drinking new world syrah and are hesitant to buy in on a Cote-Rotie, Hermitage or even a Saint-Joseph, this is a nice entry point. — 9 days ago
Hyde De Villaine
Californio Hyde Vineyard Syrah 2008
Beautiful syrah that I will really have trouble identifying blindly. Ruby colour almost still purple even after 15 years, suggesting still beautiful years of ageing potential. On the nose, the bouquet is rich and intense, marked by the Bordeaux style, on a beautifully melted ageing with primary notes. The whole is rich and complex, between notes of black fruits (blackberry, blueberry, plum) tobacco ageing, chocolate, vanilla, cypress; evolved undergrowth notes and so on, it's a real taste journey!
Magnifique syrah que j’aurai vraiment du mal à identifier à l’aveugle. Robe rubis presqu’encore violine même après 15 ans, suggérant encore de belles années de potentiel de garde. Au nez le bouquet est riche et intense, marqué par le style bordelais, sur un élevage admirablement fondu aux notes primaire. L’ensemble est riche et complexe, entres notes de fruits noirs (mûre, myrtille, prune) élevage tabac, chocolat, vanille, cyprès; notes évoluées sous-bois et j’en passe, c’est un vrai voyage gustatif! — 13 days ago
Domaine Jamet
Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2018
Blackberry jam, green and black pepper, olives, salami, violets, lavender, and deliciousness. Develops over 2 hours. Stunningly deep and rich, could age much much longer. — 4 days ago
Domaine du Tunnel (Stéphane Robert)
Cornas Vin Noir Syrah 2017
Needed a knock you on your ass so obviously great wine and decided on this. 17 is in a great place as well. Deep nose of blackberry, granite, soil tones, and blueberry. So much but so precise and focused. A lovely pottery studio aroma after air. Palate is ripe and juicy with wonderful precision and freshness and really terrific and succulent fruit. The elegance here is top notch. Beautiful mouthfeel and awesome purity. Such vivid fruit and backed up by terrific granite. Masterful wine. So poised. Let’s see what air does. Maybe it will get better? Long finish that pumps out blackberry on a granite slab. Just awesome. 9.6999. — 11 days ago
Sine Qua Non
Le Supplément Syrah 2013
On my list of favorite Syrahs! A beautiful dark magenta color. Blackberry tart cherry, floral aromas jump from the glass with secondary notes of pencil lead and sandalwood and hints of bacon fat and milk chocolate floating. Taste - a smooth creamy and richly structured wine. Blueberry and cherry fruits still dominate with pepper, crushed rock and tar following. The finish is long with lingering notes of bitter chocolate and espresso and a touch of heat on the end but overall flavors are well integrated. Should open up even more throughput the evening. Luv the label. — 14 days ago
Matt
What a smoke show! Completely different animal than LBT. Density, sinew, complex and savory perfume, length and balance given the ripeness. Open for business for sure. Chewy black cherry, plum, licorice, bacon fat, leather, garrigue, cured meat, tar, wood smoke, lavender pastille. Mouthfulling and rich, warm and heady, there’s some incredibly alluring barrel back notes but it’s deft and integrated. Great use of stems here, just enough to prop the wine up and add layers of spice. — 6 days ago