Great American Syrah Smackdown

My House
Tasted Thursday, October 4, 2007 by winefool with 789 views

Introduction

Well, Ken's big Syrah Smackdown finally happened last Thursday and I'd say it went off with a bang. Good group of guys, great steaks from Bryan's, and in general the wines showed very well. As always, all wines were served blind and for this one, we used the EWS scoring mechanism (1st, 2nd, 3rd, last).

I'd say a good time was had by all, though I was feeling it in the AM after all those high-alcohol wines!

Flight 1 - Welcome Wine - with Salumi and cheeses (1 Note)

Flight 2 - First Course - with Tuna Tartar (2 Notes)

Flight 3 - Main Event - with Bryan's steaks and steakhouse sides (12 Notes)

  • 2003 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

    Group #5. Midnight black opaque purple color. Big lifted sweet nose of blueberry with hints of pepper. Big tar and asphalt black fruit with good acidicy and nice pepper spiciness on the finish. Not hard to pick as an Alban in the blind group. Lovely as usual...

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  • 2003 Pax Syrah Pangea 92 Points

    USA, California, North Coast

    (from Mag) Full deep red purple color. Medium slightly canned black fruit nose with some hints of heat. Big tight black ruit with some sour acidity and coffee notes on the finish. Nice enough, but definitely near the bottom of this august group.

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  • 2004 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog 88 Points

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

    Group last place (by a wide margin). Full red (easily the lightest coloring in the group). Big herbal green pepper nose with some red fruit - odd, almost smells more like an older Cab Franc. Nice round red fruit, but clear green notes persist. Nowhere near the depth, concentration, or fruit on the other wines here.

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  • 2004 Copain Syrah James Berry Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Full opaque red. Big bright slightly hot candied blackberry on the nose - nice and a hint of sweet. Mmmh, nice big black fruit with just a hint of heat still showing through on the long coffee finish. Ripe and lush.

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  • 2004 Pax Syrah Obsidian Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

    Full opqaque black red color. Unusual nose of boysenberry and musty socks (new world version of sous bois??) Nice balanced red raspberry fruit with notes of black and tar on the finish.

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  • 2004 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine 95 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

    My #3, Group #4 - Full deep opaque black purple. Lifted bright acidic blu blackberry with tar notes on the nose. Big rich concentrated black fruit, spice, tar, asphalt, and a coffee note on the finish. Also easy to pick out blind as Alban - similar characteristics to the 03 Reva.

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  • 2002 Saxum Broken Stones 92 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

    Full deep red. Nice full nose of briar spicy blackberry with hints of heat. Nice full black fruit, tar, and spice on the palate but a little more angular and disjointed than some of the others.

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  • 2002 Sine Qua Non Syrah Just For the Love of It 94 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    Group #1 - Opaque red/black color. Big full nose of bright black fruit, some earthy mustiness, and spice. Nice big fruit on the palate, though this one was showing more red fruits than most others with a long spicy and mocha finish. Interesting wine, once unveiled it didn't show as well for me as the rest of the group - but I didn't get the same experience I've had with it before as my favorite SQN. Tonight I thought the Papa was better which I haven't thought in the past. Evolution or botle variation?

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  • 2003 Sine Qua Non Syrah Papa 96 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    OK, this time the Papa was really shining - My #2, Group #3. Full opaque red color. Medium full clean nose of bright hot black fruit , but very clean. Nice round balanced black fruit with some spiciness. Very nice. Not that difficult to pick out blind as SQN.

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  • 2003 Pax Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch 96 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    Group #2, My #1 - Opaque purple/red color. Fabulous lifted nose nose of black pepper, spice, and black fruit. Easy nose of the night! Mmmn, absolutely wonderful rich black fruit, PEPPER, and acidity. A balanced great wine that is drinking in a peak window right now. The only wine of the evening that could be considered really Rhone-like (Cote Rotie). I picked this out blind instantly for the 03 Castelli - very distinctive and IMHO, the best wine made by Pax.

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  • 2002 Torbreck RunRig 93 Points

    Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

    Full deep red. Huge reductive nose of black fruit , coffee, and tar, but with a decidedly overripe canned note too. Nice rich round black fruit with some canned notes carrying through on the palate. Not up to the RR standard I've had before (and certainly not a 99 point wine!)

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  • 2001 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Opaque coffee red color. Lovely big rich nose of spice, pepper, and a hint of heat. Nice ripe red/black fruit with tar and spices on the finish. Better than the last time I had it.

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Flight 4 - Dessert - with Bourbon Creme Brulee (1 Note)

Closing

After the main event, we played a little 'raid the cellar' where I did not get specific notes:
05 Carnivale of Love (from Rich)
04 Alto Moncayo
03 Cuvee du Vatican

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