Syrahs of the World and More

• NV Paul Dethune Champagne Brut Rosé

  France, Champagne

  (6/26/2008)

  Beautiful pink. Extremely primary, this was like walking into a fermentation vat. Strawberry, yeast, and black Pinot fruit. Dry and impressive with an excellent combination of concentration, flavor intensity, and light frothiness. First time I've heard of or tasted this house, but based on this bottle, it seems like one to seek out in the future.

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• 2000 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  (6/26/2008)

  This bottle was more exciting than the last one as it started out really lean, salty, and with high, lemony acidity. Over time, it steadily added roundness and honeyed complexity without excess weight. Tremendously sleek Premier Cru Chablis showing how classic and ageworthy 2000 was for this region. For a reference point, if you are a fan of the '04s, you would enjoy this wonderful example of "pre-global warming" wine. This will go on effortlessly for a few more years.

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• 2003 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  (6/26/2008)

  Healthy light yellow color with good pungent (alright, I'll say it-cat pee) varietal character. Not racy but not flabby either. Somewhat hollow middle and dilute, but good nonetheless and one of the better '03 Loire whites I've tasted. Although this is faint praise, this was very different and much better than my one previous experience with this wine.

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• 1995 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain Flawed

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (6/26/2008)

  Deep golden, orange color. Clearly oxidized but still retains acidity and varietal lychee character. Dry. Like drinking a more exotic version of vin jaune. Not dead but not good either.

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• 1988 Bernard Faurie Hermitage Le Méal

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  (6/26/2008)

  Tawny color with faded edge. The herbal, sinewy side of French Syrah with a good dose of saddle sweat. Light to medium weight, fading fast without sufficient fruit left here and puckery tannins to boot. Not appealing.

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• 2002 Finca Sandoval Manchuela

  Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela

  (6/26/2008)

  Dark and spicy with correct Syrah varietal chararcter, but somehow without much individuality or soul. It reminded me of Cornas in its strapping nature, although the texture was more lush than that. Not enough going on here to lure me back for a second pour.

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• 1996 Saxenburg Shiraz Private Collection Flawed

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (6/26/2008)

  Corked.

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• 1997 Saxenburg Shiraz Private Collection

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

  (6/26/2008)

  Moderately dark in color. This one provided a really nice synthesis of the overtly New and Old world styles of the Syrahs tasted tonight. Began with fairly rich blackberry fruit and some leather and spice, but the finish turned out to be somewhat thin and coarse. Not as good as its entry promised, and I would drink before it drops more fruit and becomes really astringent.

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• 2001 Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (6/26/2008)

  Medium color and weight. Typical middle weight Chateauneuf with a little garrigue, but I found it bland and anonymous. Certainly not nearly as much character than a St. Cosme Cotes du Rhone tasted recently. Ready now but don't expect too much.

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• 2000 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  (6/26/2008)

  Opened for 12 hours. Black color. Without question, a big wine, but much better balance and more interesting than the previous bottle. Viscous, meaty, and tarry, with candied black fruit given lift by herbs and some spiciness. This was not porty or over the top like the last bottle. Excellent complexity and a deeply layered feel. Somewhat surprisingly given this French oriented crowd, it turned out to be the consensus favorite red wine of the evening.

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• 2002 Kongsgaard Syrah Hudson Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (6/24/2008)

  Almost comically, this was poured after a 1990 Joguet Chinon. Talk about beauty and the beast! Brooding and dark. Even after an 8 hour decant, overpoweringly port-like, but to its credit, this continued to develop and show more and more nuance over the next few hours. In fact, a dizzying array of pine needles, tar, caramel, blackberry, black cherry, and licorice. Massive and intense, but with tremendous tannins and good enough acidity to somehow contain it and provide some lift. It is one of the most gargantuan table wines I have ever tried ("14.2%"?, nah), but to disparage it by casually saying that it would overwhelm food is not entirely fair, since it actually drank well with an assertive duck confit. In short, this is a wine that I find easier to admire and marvel at than to enjoy and drink, but unlike much of the primordial soup that passes as California Syrah, this one has a chance of lasting and turning into something pretty interesting given a few decades time.

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Interesting if not entirely inspiring line up of Rhone varietals. The Dauvissat outshone them all, and the Dethune Champagne wasn't half bad either.