Under $50 Syrah Smackdown (Halcon Triumphant Over Rhône!)

Columbia Heights
Tasted Thursday, February 2, 2023 by CPSchoeff with 119 views

Introduction

All wines were opened at 330, poured into decanters at 530, and tasting commenced from 730-1030. Four tasters of varying experience came to the same conclusions as me. Halcon nudged out Graillot and easily won out over Tunnel and Faury.

Flight 1 (4 Notes)

  • 2017 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Elevacion 93 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Yorkville Highlands

    Dark garnet and opaque. Gutsy aromas of Smoke and roasted game and iron. A rich and deep palate of moody dark red fruit and iron with youthful grip and a lengthy bright and energetic finish. My favorite of the night!

    Opened and decanted 2 hours before starting and tasted over 3 additional hours

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  • 2015 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

    Dark garnet and opaque, threw lots of sediment. Nose is full of roasted game, iron, and rocky notes. A nice core of dark red fruits and more of the rocks and chewy tannin. Finishes long, slightly saline, and lifted. Slightly behind the Halcon but very similar wines.

    Opened and decanted 2 hours before starting and tasted over 3 additional hours

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  • 2019 Domaine Faury St. Joseph La Gloriette Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph

    Deep purple and concentrated. Nose here is quite full of blue fruit and rocks. Palate follows with black and blue fruits, more rocks and a slight hint of alcohol on the finish at times. One other taster had written this down as well, and it was a bit surprising to me as I’d assumed this would be a more classic profile. Mine and the groups 4th place of 4.

    Opened and decanted 2 hours before starting and tasted over 3 additional hours

    Bottling is the KL Faury VV

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  • 2015 Domaine du Tunnel (Stéphane Robert) Cornas 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas

    Deep purple. Initially a wall of pepper and rocks, the nose eventually yielded way to some black fruit. Same story on the palate which took a full four hours in the decanter to show off black fruit to complement the pepper and rocks. By the end of the evening this was showing as a nicely balanced Syrah but didn’t fit my mental concept of a more feral cornas. 3rd place tonight.

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