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By Chuck Hill
LAST
WEEK'S REVIEWS PREVIOUS SERIES
Tasty Italian Varietals... EARLIER COLUMNS
The Game of Gewürztraminer
Cabernet
Sauvignon & Meritage Wines
Oyster-Friendly Wines
Meat Merlot
Summer Zinfandels
The Mystery of Viognier
Versatile Pinot Noir
Wines of the Week REVIEWS BY VARIETAL
Chuck's Wine Reviews
OTHER STUFF
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Tasty Syrahs with
Churrasco & Chimichurri Last week we explored barbecue and its complementary smoky flavors that pair with rich and toasty Syrahs. This week Chef Ted moves the meat over direct heat on the grill to prepare his Gaucho-style Churrasco Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce. This preparation is heavy on the garlic, so if you are sensitive to Allium Sativum (or your spouse dislikes the reek of the stinking rose) either cut back the garlic or find a food-pairing suggestion from previous columns. Recipes for Churrasco and Chimichurri follow.
Volcano Crafted from grapes grown in the Rogue Valley AVA, Scott and Liz Ratcliff’s Syrah was the favorite of our tasting. Transplants from California to Bend, Oregon, Scott and Liz left careers as professional waiters in San Francisco with great knowledge of food and wine as their strength in starting a winery. Their Syrah is complex and varietally true offering aromas of plum, raspberry, toasty oak and floral perfume. The palate bursts with flavors of myriad black fruits, pepper, tar and berry, finishing with light vanilla and citrus. Yummy with the meat du jour.
Guardian Peak
Hearty and rustic, Guardian Peak Shiraz is very appealing on its own and a tasty companion to meats from the braai (local term for barbecue). Smoky aromas of pepper and herbs with a cherry-fruit background lead to an earthy palate featuring blueberry and cherry fruit with notes of chocolate and anise. Good value.
Coeur d’Alene Cellars Syrahs from several different Washington growing areas are a specialty of Coeur d’Alene Cellars, and this one hails from the acclaimed vineyards of Dick Boushey in the Yakima Valley AVA. Aromas of cherry and cranberry mingle with toasty oak and vanilla notes. On the palate, flavors of dark cherry, blueberry and tangy red fruits finish with vanilla and baking spices. Very tasty with our Churrasco flank steak.
Di Stefano Winery Winemaker Hillary Sjolund crafted her reserve Syrah from the 2005 vintage using 100% Syrah fruit that was bursting with ripeness. This is Washington Syrah at its most powerful, though subtleties emerge with tasting to complement the ripe and rich components. Aromas of ripe cherry and blueberry, vanilla, anise and floral perfume lead to a chewy palate of ripe plum, blackberry, candy cherry and dark chocolate that finishes with vanilla and spice. A rich, marinated steak is just the ticket for DiStefano’s full-tilt reserve Syrah.
Terri and Jim Delfino operate their small winery and vineyard east of
Roseburg in the beautiful rolling hills of the Umpqua Valley AVA. One
can visit the winery tasting room or book a night in their guest cottage
for a quiet and country-elegant B & B experience. Delfino 2007 Syrah
offers aromas of red fruits, toasty oak and notes of lavender and
tropical fruits. The plate is rich with flavors of cassis and black
pepper finishing with notes of vanilla and oak.
Doyenne
Some of the Yakima Valley’s finest vineyards were the fruit sources for
this standout Syrah. Leaning to the feminine side of the varietal,
aromas of anise. lavender, pomegranate and floral perfume lead to a
spicy, herby palate with ripe plum and vanilla on the finish. Very
tasty with our garlicky meat selection.
Gilbert Cellars The Allobroges were a warlike, iron-age Celtic tribe that ruled much of the Rhone Valley. They suffered defeats from Hannibal and the Roman Empire who eventually forced them to submit in BC 121. You’ll need only a corkscrew to conquer Gilbert Cellars Allobroges blend of 60% Syrah, 22% Grenache and 18% Mourvedre. Ripe with spicy Rhone aromas and flavors of black fruits, berries and smoky meats call out for rich meats and hearty sauces. Worth seeking out to enjoy on a cool spring evening.
Two Hands This is a very powerful and ripe Shiraz (alcohol content 15.5%) that is a thrill for those who are looking for a brimming fruit bowl of flavors mingled with the varietal notes of herbs, and all held together with ample American oak character. Remarkably, the wine retains its acidity and structure on the palate to be an excellent food wine.
Winemaker Matt Gubitosa makes intense wines. He starts with very ripe grapes and crafts each vintage with traditional techniques. Wines are not fined or filtered. His powerful Syrah shows aromas of dusty plum, boysenberry and earthy, smoky notes. The palate offers flavors of dark cherry, ripe plum and spice with bold tannins that will soften with a bit of further bottle age or stand up to hearty meats and sauces if you pull the cork today.
Forgeron Cellars The lion’s share of the fruit for this Syrah came from the Yakima Valley – notably the Boushey Vineyard. The balance of the grapes came from the Les Collines vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. The wine’s color of dark violet-ruby is a clue to the upcoming rich aromas and flavors. Look for boysenberry, blueberry, lilac and notes of tobacco, smoke and earth. The winery suggests a few hours breathing time for optimum enjoyment in the near term.
Kestrel Vintners The Kestrel View Estate Vineyard is one of the oldest vinifera plantings in Washington, begun in 1972. The Syrah vines there were planted later, but the site offers excellent climate and location for superb fruit production each year. Aromas and flavors of the 2006 Syrah include blackberry, cherry, baking spice, dark chocolate and vanilla. Firm tannins call for hearty fare like our Churrasco steak.
Cathedral Ridge Winery The name is pronounced “board head” after the windsurfers that shred the Columbia Gorge waters not far from the winery. The wine is a blend of 56% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Herbal and minty aromas are followed by notes of cherry and juicy berry. Flavors follow the nose with a lip-smacking juicy palate that is easy drinking and food friendly.
The Originals
Produced by Charles Smith at his Magnificent Wine Company, the tasty Syrah will tickle your nose with scents of raspberry, leather and vanilla and tingle your palate with flavors of bright cherry, cranberry and smooth tannins. Accommodating as a sipper, but bold enough to accompany meats and hearty sauces.
Cougar Crest
Cougar Crest’s proprietors, David and Deborah Hansen, are Eastern
Washington natives who returned from careers in California in 1996,
planted vineyards and opened their winery in 2001. With the maturing of
the vineyards, most wines are now estate bottled, including the 2005
Syrah. Look for aromas of ripe plum, black currant, vanilla and
spice. The palate adds raspberry and peppery nuances with smoky and
meaty notes on the finish.
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One-year
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© 2010 Chuck Hill |
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