Wine Tasting

May 26, 2010

Syrah & Shiraz

Hosts:	John & Carole Matt
Comments:	A well balanced selection of Shiraz - Syrah from around the world. The wine ratings from all of us were surprisingly consistent. Eight out of twelve of us liked the Glen Carlou best (or tied for best) and three liked the Cedar Creek best. The Taberner was not rated, but was really appreciated and some of us thought that it was the best wine of the tasting.

Wines:

Code	Winery	Label	Variety	Country	Vintage	Points	Source	Cost

	Majella Wines	Sparkling Shiraz	Shiraz	Australia	2005	82	BCLS	$29.99
1	J.L. Chave Selection	Offerus	Syrah	France	2005	86	BCLS	$39.00
2	Russian Hill Estate	Estate Vineyards	Syrah	California	2002	88	Alberta	$35
3	Cedar Creek Estate Winery	Estate Select	Syrah	Canada	2004	86	Winery	$35
4	Richard Hamilton Wines	Centurion	Shiraz	Okanagan	2002	85	Alberta	$36
5	Montes Premium Wines	Alpha	Syrah	Chile	2005	86	Everything Wine	$31.99
6	Glen Carlou	Paarl Valley	Syrah	South Africa	2005	90	BCLS	$29.99
	Huerta de Albala	Taberner	Syrah	Spain	2005	N/A	Alberta	$23

Notes:

Majella Wines, 2005 Sparkling Shiraz, Coonawarra, South Australia

A bright fizzy wine with loads of raspberry and strawberry fruit, milk chocolate, and mocha. It also has some noticeable oak characteristics on the palate. Drink it with anything and everything - it's great as an aperitif or a digestif, with meat, pasta or cheese, and not too shabby on its own.

J.L. Chave Selection, 2005 Offerus, St. Joseph, Cotes du Rhone

Deep red. Explosive aromas of vibrant strawberry, raspberry and kirsch, with a subtle licorice undertone. Brisk red fruit flavors are seductively sweet and nicely framed by velvety tannins. Finishes with very persistent red fruits and gentle, sappy grip.

Russian Hill Estate, 2002 Estate Vineyards Syrah, Russian River Valley, California

Scrumptious, ruby red, full bodied smooth, balanced, potent, with strong wild cherry currents, surrounded by oak, leather, licorice, wild blackberries. A crisp, refreshing acidity and silky texture.

Cedar Creek Estate Winery, 2004 Estate Select Syrah, Okanagan, BC

Ripe berry fruit with tones that range from herbal to peppery in a package that tends to be medium bodied with good acidity and softer tannins with lovely leathery and black olive notes.

Richard Hamilton, 2002 Centurion Old Vines Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia

Full deep red with ruby highlights. A perfect integration of fine Shiraz fruit and fine grained French oak has given a liquorice highlight to a briary, mocha coffee nose. The palate has richness, length and subtlety. Fine, silky tannins on the palate balance the sweet plum fruit to give excellent persistence. This is a mouth-filling wine, yet finishes clean and elegant.

Montes Premium Wines, Montes Alpha Syrah, 2005 Colchagua Valley

Garnet color with aromas and flavors of asphalt, toasty cedar wood, spicy berry, leather and vanilla. The finish is cherry hard candy. Full-bodied with a good grip. Sweet vanilla oak and tobacco emerge more prominently as the wine opens up.

Glen Carlou, 2005 Paarl Valley

Dark red color with a purple hue. Aromas of mulberries, spicy blackberry, violets, floral notes and toasty oak. Rich complex layer of new-world fruit with ripe berry and purple currants flavours on the palate. Rich fruit–driven full mouth finish.

Huerta De Abala, 2005 Taberner, De La Tierra De Cadiz

92 Points - Robert Parker: “The 2005 Taberner exhibits an exceptional perfume of bacon, sausage, and blueberry pie. Full-bodied, with layers of spicy, fleshy fruit, intensely flavoured wine.”