The future's not ours to see, but this great grape owns the present. By Nancy Ross Ryan
Photo by Laurie Proffitt
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CHE Syrah Syrah:
The future's not ours to see, but this great grape owns the present. By Nancy Ross Ryan Photo by Laurie Proffitt |
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There's no accounting for taste. I confess to being a pushover for red wines -- hardly ever met one I didn't like. I have been known to swallow, without flinching,100 percent (unblended) Cabernet Sauvignons so tannic that they made my mouth pucker and my tongue curl -- then go back for seconds. The latest object of my undying affections is Syrah, a big, beautiful, bold red grape that, according to many historians, started life in the town of Shiraz in what is now Iran and was brought to Southern France by Greek or other seafaring ancients before the Romans got there. But at least one Rhone authority, Kermit Lynch, believes it came from the east, across the Alps because of its similarity with the Nebbiolo grape from Piemonte, Italy. Frankly, I don't care how the grape arrived in its classic growing area, the Rhone Valley in France, because it has since become a world traveler, taking up permanent residence in Australia (where it is called Shiraz), California (where it is sometimes spelled Sirah), and Washington State. What's so great about Syrah? The color, aroma, and flavor -- and when it comes to wine, what's left to desire? Syrah is so intense in pigment, it is beyond red -- a deep almost purple hue. One whiff of Syrah reminds me of plums and berries and chocolate and, more often than not, pepper. The flavor is so full, so big, so rich, that it envelopes the mouth with extraordinarily satisfying sensations. Syrah has been referred to by wine writers as "masculine" and "muscular," and "gutsy," and indeed it is not a wine for sissies. On the other hand it is not extremely tannic, either, and in that balance lies its fascination and charm. For an expert description, I appealed to William R. Nesto, who holds the title of Master of Wine (there are only 280 worldwide), and who leads wine-tours to the Rhone Valley from his home base in Milton, Massachusetts. Says Nesto, "In general, the wine is deeply colored. High-quality samples are very dark, almost black, which is a unique characteristic of Syrahs." What I call smell or aroma, a professional such as Nesto describes as "Nose: wood smoke, violets, raspberry, rubber tire, asphalt, ground pepper, leather." I have to cut in here to say that some of those smells, all detectable to the professional wine taster, may sound off-putting, but I personally have never received anything but the best and most tantalizing aromas from a glass of Syrah. And when it comes to taste, Nesto describes Syrah as "Moderate to high acidity, moderate alcohol, highly textured on the palate, can be quite astringent (tannic) in the finish." Can be, but most I have tasted have not been. Of course the flavor and the quality of the wine vary (true of any wine) depending on where the wine is produced (Northern Rhone Valley, California or Australia) and how carefully. Unblended 100 percent Syrah is a tough wine to make, requiring lots of skill on the winemaker's part, but once successfully created, it can live for many years. The classic Syrahs of the Northern Rhone -- especially those of Hermitage and Cote Rotie -- are the benchmarks for Syrah the world over. These tend to be very expensive as well. Shiraz was first planted in Australia in 1831 but it didn't get much respect until the late 1980s. Today Australia produces some of the world's best Shiraz that range from relatively expensive to great values. In California, the first commercially available bottling of Syrah was by Joseph Phelps in 1974 (still made today). Phelps and the Syrah gauntlet was picked up in that same decade by Bob Lindquist, Randall Grahm, Sean Thackrey, and a group of wine makers who became known as the "Rhone Rangers," a pioneering posse bucking the major trend of Cabernet and Merlot. California Syrah, like Australian Syrah, didn't get much respect, but for a much shorter length of time thanks to an ill wind that blew Syrah some good. In the 1990s the villain Phylloxera vastatrix, a root louse that sucks the life out of grapevines, invaded and destroyed many California vineyards. When it came time to replant, many winemakers planted with Syrah. In a 10-year period, from 1988 to 1998, the acreage planted in Syrah increased from 139 to 7,200 acres. Which means that when all those acres produce harvestable grapes, our supply of Syrah will increase exponentially. Craig Williamson, winemaker at Phelps, says "Balance and flavor is what this varietal is all about. Both the California and French versions of Syrah have pronounced character and flavor. Syrah is fruity and spicy, compared to, say, Merlot which is fruity and herbal. Between the Syrahs themselves, the main difference is in the aroma. French Syrahs have spicy, peppery and fruit attritubes, while California wines have black fruit, dried flowers and meaty aromas." The difference -- aside from price and availability -- between Syrah from France, California and Australia, has to do with climate and terroir, says Steve Uhrich of Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, which makes limited quantities of Vintners Reserve Syrah. French Syrahs tend to be more sophisticated, structured, peppery, he says, and he feels that "Californian and Australian Syrahs are probably easier to drink because they are softer, more fruit forward. And they are more food friendly wines," he says. Some of his favorite foods with Syrah include "grilled lamb, French pepper steak, stews, roasted tomatoes, rich cheeses." Sondra Bernstein, who owns The Girl & The Fig restaurant in Glen Ellen, California, considers Syrah so food friendly that she has around 30 Syrahs (not to mention even more Rhone varietals) on her wine list. "My feeling is that Syrahs are not overly complicated, even though they have a lot of nuances; they are meant to be enjoyed with but not overpower food," she says. "At my restaurant we like to offer a dining experience with a French passion -- a life-stopping time to enjoy a bottle of wine with dinner in the company of your family or friends. And, of course, the Rhone valley is where Syrah began." When her seasonal menu offers a duck confit with lentils, applewood-smoked bacon and cippolini onions, she chooses a lighter Syrah. For a lamb loin with demi-glace, a heavier style. My pursuit of Syrahs has lead me down some interesting culinary paths. For example, one of my favorite company dinners in both hot and cold weather is a Julia Child stew called Daube de Boeuf. The lean beef -- in bite-size pieces -- is not browned, but marinated in red (usually Burgundy) wine with herbs and vegetables. Then the meat is drained, lightly floured and packed tightly in a casserole in alternating layers with thinly sliced carrots, onions, mushrooms, diced tomatoes. The casserole is topped off with red wine and beef stock, covered and cooked ever so slowly for hours. It may be served hot or cold the next day accompanied by crusty French bread and a bottle of the same wine used in the marinade. (Never cook with a wine that you wouldn't drink.) The last time I prepared it I thought, "Why Burgundy? Why not Syrah?" Why not, indeed. It was fabulous. |
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William Nesto offers a Syrah short list:
Debra Crestoni, co-owner of Chicago Brands, Ltd., and proprietor of Connoisseur Wines, suggests: 1997 Sean Thackrey Orion; 1998 Qupe Syrah; and the more moderately priced 1997 Qupe Bien Nacido Reserve Hillside Select; 1997 Jade Mountain Hudson Vineyard; 1998 Frankland Estate Isolation Ridge Shiraz; 1998 Clarendon Hills Liandra Shiraz; 1998 Clarendon Hills Brookmans Shiraz; 1998 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Shiraz; and more moderately priced: 1997 Hewitson McLaren Vale Shiraz L'Oizeau; Hewitson 1998 Shiraz Barossa Valley; and the real bargains ($10 to $13) from Australia, Rosemont Shiraz and Hill of Content Old Vines Grenache/Shiraz.
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LIQUID ASSETS - July/August 2000