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Tony’s Wine CornerQue Sera, SyrahIn the wake of the stunning success of the movie "Sideways," where Pinot Noir took center stage, many growers in Santa Barbara County are kidding that they need their own movie to promote Syrah as the next big thing. In fact, they’re not so far off. As the palate evolves, the cycle naturally moves from Pinot Noir to Syrah, which tends to be a fuller, riper wine. The Syrah is a thick skinned grape, which makes it easier to grow than Pinot Noir. Originally from Persia, the Syrah or Shiraz grape is found throughout Southern France and Australia. California Syrah grapes are derived from the French Rhône Valley varietal. In the old days, Syrah was used in blending, but thanks to more sophisticated wine making methods, Syrah is really coming into its own.
Tony’s Top Picks: Herman Story Syrah (2003). Larner Vineyards, Santa Barbara County. Winemaker and owner Russel From makes this deep, dark, rich Syrah from the Larner Vineyard in the Santa Ynez region. Herman Story, Russel's grandfather, also makes a Grenache from the Larner Vineyard that should not be missed. Pair these wines with Amsterdam Reserve, a two-year-old Gouda from Maryland. Pax. Syrah Obsidian (2003). Knights Valley, Sonoma. Winemaker Pax Mahle has assembled an excellent selection of 2003 Syrahs made from some of Sonoma's finest fruit and crafted at His "industrial park" wine making facility. Pax Syrah Obsidian is a dense, ripe, spicy wine from a volcanic hill littered with obsidian. The wine is well structured on its own and can also be enjoyed with Manchego or French Basque cheese. My personal favorite is Abbaye de Belloc, a raw sheep's milk cheese made by Benedictine monks at the Belloc Abbey in the Western Pyrenees. Acorn. Axiom Syrah (2002). Alegria Vineyard, Russian River Valley. $30. Betsy and Bill Nachbaud own the Alegria Vineyard, a 27-acre parcel in the Russian River Valley known for its Italian and French varieties. Axiom Syrah has full rich flavors with a hint of spice and leather, with soft tannins. Pairing this wine with Chaubier, a 1/2 goat - 1/2 cow blend cheese from the Loire Valley will enhance both the wine and the cheese. August Briggs Syrah (2002). Page-Nord Vineyard, Napa Valley. The August Briggs winery has been producing excellent wines since 1995. Owner/winemaker August "Joe" Briggs has crafted one of the best Syrahs of the vintage from the Calistoga area. Briggs keeps his production small, producing only 390 cases per season. This smooth and silky Syrah is almost black in color, with hints of blackberry, cherry, and dark chocolate. Serve with Minuet goat cheese from Andante Dairy in Petaluma, a young cheese with crème fraîche that softens the tannins and enhances the mid flavors of the Syrah. Melville Winery. Syrah Estate (2002). Santa Barbara. The Melville family, have built one of Santa Barbara's premiere winery and vineyards. Since 1996, Melville fruit has been used by some of Santa Barbara's top winemakers, but according to family members, they keep some of the best for themselves. This medium weight Syrah has bright fruit Flavors of red cherry and raspberry, with hints of spice and pepper, making this wine the perfect match with traditional Southern French cheeses such as Cantal or Laguiole. Tony’s Instant Meal Rapini Sandwich. Take 1 bunch of fresh rapini and roughly chop. Stir fry chopped rapini in garlic and olive oil for 1 - 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can add crushed red pepper flakes if you wish. Place rapini between two slices of hot crusty bread and garnish with a sharp, full flavored goat cheese. My favorite is Bucheron from the Loire Valley. Tony Princiotta is the Wine Buyer and cheese pairing specialist for The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. www.cheesestorebh.com Edited by Erika Wright |
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Syrahs
differ from region to region, with many styles ranging from rosé to medium
weight balanced Syrahs, to the big, thick, syrupy, high alcohol versions. My
favorite Syrahs are from Santa Barbara County, where you find medium to full
bodies, with more acidity and focus on the back part of the palate, compared
with some styles from Sonoma or Napa. Some of the best come from the Santa Ynez
growing region in Santa Barbara County, such as Herman Story, Bonaccorsi and
Hitching Post. The nice thing about Syrah is that you have a choice to suit
every mood, menu and palate.
