Mayfair tasting group does Syrah

Several ITB'ers and long-time collectors gathered for a research project (ha!). We had lots of tasty cheeses, sausages and margherita pizza, but not enough water.

• 1999 Verget Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Medium-straw color; cork and ullage all pointed to an enjoyable drink, I was not disappointed. Chalky, chalky, chalky. Saline, seashells, faint apple, honey and pear juice. Minerals, wet stones all follow from the nose to the soft, mature palate. Acids still vibrant, the wine has aged well. Delicious and managed to put on some weight and added complexity over the next 2 hours. As bevetroppo has already said, this is time-driven ox, not pre-mox. Might have passed for a mid-late 90's Chenin in a blind. Drink thru 2013, 13,0% abv, score: A-

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• 2003 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

  Cork pulled at 3pm, served (single) blind at 7pm. Dark ruby core, no sign of age. Opens with strong aromas of strawberry juice. After a minute or two, notes of tobacco leaf, black pepper, meat and raspberry appear. The palate is full-bodied, and in a very good place right now but really needs airtime once opened. Above-average finish and balance. When we first tasted this during the blind eval, it had been in the bottle with the cork removed for about 4 hours. By the time (2 more hours, 10 wines total) the blind tasting had finished and we went back to try some of our favorites, this had made remarkable progress, adding weight, elegance and complexity which took it from a B+ to an A-/A. I was really skeptical how it would show given some of the tn's. Perhaps I just got really lucky. My #4, group's #3. recommended, drink thru 2017, 14% abv

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• 2004 Piedrasassi Syrah

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Opened, not decanted and served blind one hour later. Deep ruby color, slight sign of age. Clearly New World with plenty of alcohol and cherry cough syrup leading the way at first. The palate was full-bodied, but proved as uninteresting as the nose. My #8 of 9, group #8. The format called for points, so I gave this one 86, guessed Washington state and guessed 2007. The 2oz or so that I had upon first pour did not change during the following 2 hours. At the end of the blind tasting, we re-visited the bottles that were showing well- all of them got drained in the following 2 hours, all of them having openedup completely by that time. The Piedrasassi saw no more takers that night and was re-corked for someone to have the next day (prolly the person that supplied it). This was not a flawed bottle, I think it just showed so poorly when tasted side-by-side with some really fantastic Syrah from all over the world. Drink now, not getting better, score: B

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• 1998 Mundurra Shiraz Hunter

  Australia, New South Wales, Hunter Valley

  Slow-O 3 hours, served blind. Color indicates age, but nothing excessive - most guessed 10-15 yrs old. Medium ruby, several well-developed transitions, no browning at rim. Cork was in perfect condition, ullage also near perfect. Beautifully perfumed aromas with plenty of secondary development. Leads with earthen funk, sous bois, meat, plenty of spicy, pretty red and black berries, cedar and herbs. Medium toward full body, lively acids, fully integrated, sweet tannins. In a perfect place and the absolute ringer of the night. Delicious. My #2, group #4. Everyone at the table guessed French. This is not a wine I will forget anytime soon. highly recommended Drink thru 2016, 13,5% abv, score: A

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• 2006 Owen Roe Syrah "Lady Rosa"

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley

  Slow-O 1 hour, served blind. Full ruby toward plum core, very little sign of age. Plum, baking spice, pepper, a touch of red floral. Full-bodied palate marked by very round, well-integrated tannins. Cherry, new leather, detergent, carob, French oak. Missing lift, acidity, complexity. Average to slightly above-average drink that clearly fell into the new world camp with most guessing Cali. The format called for points and I was obliged to give this 90. I guessed Cali, 2006. My # 6, group #6. Drink thru 2014, 14,1% abv, score: B+/A-

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• 2003 Langmeil Shiraz The Freedom 1843

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Slow-O 2 hours, served blind over the following 2 hours. My#9 of 9, group # 7. This was the only Syrah that presented cassis, not something I look for in my Syrah. When I coupled that with the egregious over-extraction and overt alcohol, this wine never had a chance. Candied black and blue fruits, trace herbs. Most at the table found it middle-of-the-road, and OK for what it was - a massive fruit bomb. The average amount of complexity here really required some coaxing to uncover. In its favor, I suppose, this did gain some individuality with extended airtime, but nothing remarkable - middle of the road at best. The format we were using called for points so I gave this 85 (all other scores were 88-92). I guessed Oz, 2005. drink thru 2016, 14,5% abv, score: B

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• 1985 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Decanted for sediment, returned to bottle three hours before serving blind. Obvious age, with several well-developed transitions and a touch of orange-brown at the rim. This bottle had been well-preserved in a single cellar since release. The nose was the winner of the night - by far - for most but not all (read: not those seeking alcohol/extraction first). Notes of creosote and tar dominate for the first 20 minutes in the glass, with clove, herbs, charred meat and spice rounding out the aromas. Upon first taste the palate was markedly different from the nose, requiring me to give the nose 94-95 points, but the palate merely 89 as it just couldn't muster any strength. However, I was about to be schooled. Once the blind tasting had finished (an hour later), and scores were tallied, I poured some more to see if it had changed - wow, the palate had swelled, with a fresh volume of acids, vibrant well-developed fruits and precise, grippy tannins, more spice and mature fruit characteristics. After this little lesson, the wine was instantly my #1 for the night, the group's #3. I was fortunate that while most were draining the remainder of the Cayuse and the Owen Roe I was able to drain this, all the while savoring every magical moment. My guess was Cote Rotie, 1982. superb would be an understatement, highly recommended drink thru 2018, score: A/A+

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• 2007 Groot Constantia Shiraz

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia

  Slow-O 3 hours, served blind. Full ruby toward plum color, no sign of age. Raw hamburger, butterscotch, faint herbs, cocoa powder and dill. Several guessed French oak was used. Full(-) body, with average acidity, medium(-) finish. Ultimately, fairly monolithic, but had flecks of personality. At $20, a good, but not great, value. The nose is much more interesting than the palate. Not even a trace of brett, thankfully. My #7, group #9. I guessed Cali, 2006. Drink thru 2015, 14,0% abv, score: B

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• 2008 Denner The Dirt Worshipper

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Slow-O 1 hour, served blind. Purple toward opaque color, no sign of age. Alcohol and ripe black and blue fruits; Some herbs, red floral, smoke, earth and plum sauce. Full body(+) palate, with barely enough acid to float the heft, but it managed. A polarizing wine, and one which I'd not care to drink again unless it were 5 years from now and only then to see where it's gone. My #5, group #1 (only because of the spurious high 90's scores from the New World gang). This did show above average complexity, but since I really don't prefer wines that are a meal in and of themselves, it's largely forgettable for me. Naturally there were others that raced to drain the bottle. 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier. Drink thru 2017, 15,6% abv, score: B+

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• 2007 Cayuse Syrah En Cerise Vineyard

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

  Slow-O 30 minutes, served blind. Full ruby toward purple color, no sign of age. Heavy detergent aromas at first, with some more nuanced character emerging after 10 minutes in the glass - raw meat, pepper, black and blue fruits, iodine and raspberry. There is a purity of fruit here that can't be ignored/denied; to me, it really was a shame to open a bottle this young with no proper aeration. When the wine was revealed, it got drained in no time, but there were too many other, more interesting wines at the table that I preferred. Having said all that, this was my #3 of 9, group's #2; this is certainly a wine I'd care to revisit in 5-8 years. From a QPR standpoint, this fared pretty well. The format we used called for points, so I gave it 93, guessed Washington, 2007. Another note here said Bionic Frog lite - that would be about right. Drink thru 2021, 14,6% abv, score: A- (with upside noted)

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I supplied the Bougros, the Clape and Mundurra. A fun night for all, with the usual suspects crossing their arms, content to stay in their camp (new or old world).