A New Chapter for California Syrah

I believe Santa Ynez and surrounding areas to still be underrated and unfairly dismissed. Early in my wine exploration I wasn’t a particular fan of cool climate reds in general, and esp the CA variety, until a friend took me to taste some of the smaller producers (since I’m in LA and it’s not that far from me), and over the years since I have been increasingly impressed with the variety and quality of the wines. Stolpman is among my favorites, not only for his consistent quality but for his experiments, esp with Nebbiolo. Some wines were so full of barnyard and forest floor that I couldn’t tell if I liked it or not, but they were absolutely fascinating. Some of Ojai’s red are great, age well, and they have some Late Harvest Rieslings that are really beautiful. There are many smaller producers, like Liquid Farms, that are doing good work as well. It’s an area that has many hidden gems, and I believe will only get better.

I tried to find the suggested wines. Eric is correct, there are very few California syrahs on the shelves. Impossible to find the specific wines anywhere nearby, so I picked up a Bonny Doon Bien Nacido Vineyard X Block 2014 from the Santa Maria Valley. This wine was a blend 88% syrah and 12% viognier. Close as I could get and, at least, from a recommended and well-respected producer. We opened this bottled with a simple roast chicken as per suggestion. This wine was very smooth, jammy with berry fruit flavors. We felt it was a bit much for the chicken. A big steak maybe? What I noticed most was the mouth feel. It was thick, and to my mind, heavy. I always think of this sort of wine as something you could eat with a knife and fork. While I found this bottle well made it was not for me. The heavy, jammy aspects just don't appeal and I find that they make the wine very filling. I understand this is a personal preference and that a lot of people really go for it. However, for me this is exactly why I stay away from California wines. In the past I have found a very high percentage of them have these characteristics and so I avoid in general.

We found pepper and earth on the rough and bold Stolpman Syrah. It was savory and some gentleness followed after a few hours of being opened. We served it with a six cheese penne pasta and found it astringent and most of the follow through was gone. I feel this is not the best offering from a great Santa Barbara winery. The Ojai had the fruit offering of a typical pinot noir and in a bad day, I might not have known the difference. It was totally smooth and almost too subtle. If you looked hard you could find a little spice in a wine that would probably be better served alone. Besides all this, it was our favorite wine even though it overpowered the marinated Angus skirt steak stew served with it. The Arnot-Roberts showed earth, dark fruit and total balance. Despite all this, this wine needed food and when served with pesto, mushroom, ricotta stuffed meatballs the combo was over the top. We voted it our favorite wine and food combination but with a nod to Don Barron, it won my vote for the biggest failure in the QPR. George Erdle – Harper’s Fine Dining, Charlotte, NC

This was an interesting Wine school since we have good number of California Syarh in "the cellar", aka "the garage". For Christmas dinner we opened a couple of slight older vintages than the recommended selections: a 2012 Robert Keenen Napa Valley Syrah and a 2013 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Monterey County Syrah. The Keenen was definitely a star, showing good amount of earth notes while the fruit had faded it had not disappeared. It still had good structure and just enough acid to cut fattiness of the pork main and earth notes did not conflict with the rubbed spices. We did serve it slightly chilled and with about 30-40 minutes of bottle open time (not decanted). I would say it was a memorable bottle and opened at the right time of its cellar-life. The SCMV, on the other hand, was dominated by acid notes. I like my wine with a little more acid than most, but this one was just a bit too much. While you could sense the red-fruit wanting to come out, it never got there. It did however pair nicely with that pork because of the acid and complimenting the spices with the under-tones of the fruit. Maybe this becomes a great "stand-alone" drinker after a few more years of cellaring? I seem to have one more bottle... For reference, the Meal was - Grilled Pork With Whole Spices (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020242-grilled-pork-with-whole-spices-and-garlic-bread) Pan Roasted Broccolini Roasted Potatoes Thank you to Eric for picking this Wine School category.

Try Quady North's 4-2-A Syrah (Jacksonville, OR). Rhoneish, savory, and with a long finish.

After six days vacu-vin’d in the fridge, the Ojai tasted not a whole heck of a lot different than it did on night one. That same berry fruitiness on top of a strange, dark, Christmas-y spice like I’ve never encountered, on top of a musty meatiness that starts out all pleasant and jolly and then you catch a sinister, Jack Nicholson glint in its eye that you can’t ignore. Something almost rotten, and I mean that in the most enticing way. “Funktastic” ? Why not? Monday dinner was pasta with lamb sauce tinyurl.com/yjayej3b and roast broccoli rabe. The Ojai was indifferent to the lamb—there was no connection—and surprisingly tasty with the bitter broccoli rabe and especially with the mixed in bits of sweet roast garlic. But its flavors are so foreign to my palate that I really couldn’t decide if I liked it or not. Nor can I say it “went with” any of the foods I tried (exceptions for Tabasco and red pepper flakes). It was to be enjoyed, or not, on its own. And more on an intellectual than gut level. There’ve been other Wine School wines that shocked me with their unfamiliar flavors and then after a few more exposures I came to crave. Sonoma chards for one. The Ojai seems a lot stranger than that.

I have no ability to get American syrah in Australia. The question I have is how do these syrahs compare to the syrah/shiraz that the cool climate regions of Australia produce?

"popularity of merlot nose-dived" -- Really? Never for me. The Argentine Merlots are the only affordablevreds without a stripong tannic taste. Syrah, Pinot Noir, young Cabernet, and such simiilar varietis are for cooking. But I just had a Clos du Bois Pinot Noir 2017 that was surprisingly drinkable.

I tried the Stolpman Vineyards Syrah. We were having a family traditional meal of pork roast and dumplings for New Year's Day and I thought it would go perfectly. I was surprised to find that while it went well with the pork and dumplings, it went even better with the Southern collards I had cooked with apple cider vinegar, sweet onions, brown sugar, and bacon. The sweet/savory of the collards mirrored the same complementary flavors in the Syrah. The Stolpman Syrah really reminded me of a Syrah I had while in Santa Barbara from Demetria Vineyards. For a wine that on the palate is so distinctive, I was struck by the similarity between the two wines. Both had smooth tannins, fruit like sweet blueberry/blackberry cobbler and light notes of black pepper. The Stolpman Syrah also had a faint earthy/dustiness and a very pronounced flavor of sweet game. The sweet game was my favorite part of the wine - its attractiveness in the wine is the same reason I love bison meat above cow meat. In fact, I would love to pair this with a bison steak or burger or with a pork chop with a sweet sauce such as blueberry. I would also be interested in comparing this to a Walla Walla Syrah, which in my experience has been more extracted, dusty, and heavy, whereas California seems to be round, smooth, and actually more reminiscent of Northern Rhone (to me).

With Martin’s Ojai and Jerusalem lamb shawarma dinner for motivation, I tried the same wine Wednesday night with a dumbed down, no frills “street truck” lamb shawarma recipe tinyurl.com/wmp26wn . For Martin’s “oriental caravan” of cloves, cardamom, fenugreek, fennel, cumin seeds, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, paprika, sumac and garlic (oh my!), mine subbed just cumin, oregano, onions, more onions and garlic, the whole thing slathered with tahini on a pita with arugula, tomato and Tabasco. Quelle dud. Felt like the culinary equivalent of going to a wedding in sweat pants. The Ojai wanted to get all intrigue-y and subtle, with shifting strands of medicinal cherry, sour cherry, unnamed spice, stone, tobacco, and meaty flavors (I thought of an American rosso de Montalcino), but the home gyro would have none of it. It was food meant to fill your gut and waste no time doing it. It smelled good, I’ll give it that. But the pairing was the most palpable experience I’ve ever had of complex wine with too simple fare. Not just a waste of good wine; a degradation. Like the food was determined to make the wine as plain as it was. (Small plus; the Tabasco lit up the wine in a fun and playful way.) Eric says syrahs go well with many sorts of foods. Two pairing busts this month suggest a need for some discretion.

You might consider some of the Turley syrahs from their various vineyards.

Grenache Syrah Mourvedre -- known also as GSM -- is my new fave. Wonderful alternative to overpriced Golden State Bordeaux Blends.

Good Afternoon: 30 years ago, received an invitation to a blind tasting of $25-50 Rhones. Having a minimum of money and a maximum of mischief, brought a $5.99 Qupe Syrah. Unanimous choice as best of the night. Therefore, chose the $20 2017 Central Coast. Sunday night: pates, cheeses, rosemary mixed nuts, mussels in escabeche sauce, marinated or pickled vegetables, dried apricots. Music: mixtape of Windham Hill Winter's Solstice songs. Weather: steady rain. Plus a ringer: 2019 Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale. Brilliant dark ruby. Nose: white pepper, coriander, sumac, blackberry, sour cherry, apple, mineral, oak. Taste: same as the nose, but an explosive burst of flavor, full-bodied, long finish, medium tannins, balanced, velvety. After an hour, tobacco and chocolate flavors emerged. Can age 5-7 years. Excellent wine. Surprisingly good with olives and caper berries, good with dried apricots and mussels, very good with cheeses, outstanding with pates. OK with artichoke hearts and nuts, not OK with pickled asparagus (no surprise). The Ale went well with veggies, mussels and apricots, very well with cheeses, not great with pates (surprising). Music, food and drinks made a good combination for the evening. At the end of the evening, adjusted volume of music to match volume of rain striking the roof of the Artist's Garret. Lit candles and a hurricane lamp, turned off electric lights. We ate, sipped, listened to rain and "Greensleeves" by Liz Story. Pure magic. Happy New Year.

How about some $15 wines?

I was able to find the Stolpman. After letting it breathe for 2 hours and slightly chilling it for 15 min as others suggested, I took my first whiff. It didn't speak to my nose but gave me a big fruit sucker punch in the mouth. I've heard that Cali wines are "fruit forward". I really didn't understand the term until I tasted this wine. I thought perhaps it would mellow as we proceeded through a dinner of fresh pasta manicotti but towards the end of the bottle I grew tired of the unsubtle jammy quality and threw the rest of it in the trash. I guess I'm not a fruit forward wino but I appreciate the opportunity to read about wine and learn more about what I like.

Cakebread Syrah is as good as their Chardonnay and Howell Mountain Cabernet.

I was able to get the Stolpman and the Ojai at Princeton Corkscrew. The website (written by Laurent?) has interesting notes on the Stolpman planting practices, dry farming on limestone soil. Reading descriptions of vineyards makes one painfully aware how much climate change is going to impact wine. The aromas are distinctive, very earthy. I remember when we did the St. Joseph lesson the aroma reminded me of an old hardware store. The wines were not sweetly fruity but feral fruity. Like berry bushes on an abandoned farmstead or deep in the woods. The wine was tannic and the roughness that was there was pleasant, a nudge to pay attention. These were wines with character and I liked them but I don't think everyone would.

Andrew Murray in Santa Barbara County has been making wonderful Syrahs for years. His Roasted Slope with a little Viognier like a Cote Rotie is delicious

Good Syrahs can age happily for more than a decade. As Adam Tolmach (of the Ojai Vineyard) has observed, it's all about the pepper. A wonderfully versatile wine that can pair with a lot of different foods. Not shy and not easy to overwhelm.

I think I found the ideal pairing for Syrah: Jerusalem Lamb Shawarma ( https://tinyurl.com/t642t97 ). That 11 spice mix had a lot in common with Chinese 5 spice and Arabian baharat. We were putting it in pita bread with Jerusalem Hummus ( https://tinyurl.com/ybmm2ta3 ). The spices must have evolved like an oriental caravan. They have a better home here than in sweet gingerbread, making this shawarma my christmas sandwich. First we tried the Stolpman. There was a spice note in the nose like clove, cardamom, and cinnamon, but in the taste it was mostly fruity and boozy. Yes it was smooth but then again too boozy to be smooth. There was not enough heft to keep the California fruit bomber in it in check. The meaty, savory side of Syrah was there, but it was hidden, like it went swimming in a bowl of Cherry Brandy or Sweet Ripe Plum Brandy (if there is such thing). So Lauren and I agreed in our verdict to call it generic.

I think I found the ideal pairing for Syrah: Jerusalem Lamb Shawarma. That 11 spice mix had a lot in common with Chinese 5 spice and Arabian baharat We were putting it in pita bread with Jerusalem Hummus (recipes on NYT Cooking). The spices must have evolved like an oriental caravan. They have a better home here than in sweet gingerbread, making this shawarma my christmas sandwich. First we tried the Stolpman. There was a spice note in the nose like clove, cardamom, and cinnamon, but in the taste it was mostly fruity and boozy. Yes it was smooth but then again too boozy to be smooth. There was not enough heft to keep the California fruit bomber in it in check. The meaty, savory side of Syrah was there, but it was hidden, like it went swimming in a bowl of Cherry Brandy or Sweet Ripe Plum Brandy (if there is such thing). So Lauren and I agreed in our verdict to call it generic.

We had the Arnot-Roberts with Jerusalem Lamb Shawarma and Hummus. The wine had a beautiful floral nose (rose petals? violets?). The aromas where distinct and beautiful. There was more structure (than in Stolpman). The flavors were more refined, leather-like, and elegant, with smooth tannins, and a nice grip on the palate. The wine was more savory, yet smoother than the other one. Last but not least the Ojai: I loved it from the first whiff. I called it funktastic. Lauren called it more tannic. Not generic at all, we departed from generic. There are savory flavors, earthy even. This was the least California-tasting and most St. Joseph-like (tobacco notes) of the three.

Good Evening: Found the 2017 Stolpman during a break in the atmospheric rivers dousing the SF Bay Area. For dinner: hummus with fresh vegetables, roast tri-tip, roast potatoes, creamed spinach. Music: Anouar Brahem, "Souvenance," very good oud misic. Color: very dark garnet-black, unfiltered? Looked a little hazy. Nose: distinctive; closed in at first, gradually opened up to reveal blackberry, sour cherry, cinnamon, oak, cedar, and some herbal qualities. The taste got interesting. Closed in at first, tannic, felt a little hot at the back of the mouth. With more time, hotness moderated. Taste acquired the same qualities as the nose, plus grenadine, raspberry, strawberry, black pepper and anise. The texture evolved from astringent to more velvety. Medium level of tannins. Flavors both fruity and savory. About the food. The hummus and the Syrah were completely neutral, neither helping nor hurting each other. On the other hand, everything else went great with the Stolpman, and vice versa, as you would expect from a classic food-wine pairing. The music did its job, enhancing the mood of the meal. Good Syrah. Better with food than by itself, perhaps can age for a decade. Aside from the hot feeling in the back of the throat, no other obvious flaws. Try opening the bottle two hours before dinner. Syrah should have established itself as a peer to Cab S. and Chardonnay by now. Looking forward to its continuing development in CA.

I think the cooler coastal areas that favor Pinot Noir will also favor Syrah. Warm days, cool nights, and well drained rocky soil. And I’ll put in a plug for both Cline and almost any Washington State Syrah.

For Friday dinner—sheet pan chicken with bacon, potato and sourdough tinyurl.com/qlowlvr , side of shitakes—we began at the pricey top with the Arnot-Roberts. “Are the aromas distinctive?” Eric asked. Boy, howdy! I wasn’t even thinking about his question when I popped the cork, took a casual whiff, and instantly I’m like: “Whoa. Never smelled anything like that before!” Interested to hear how other Scholars describe it. Musty and Christmas-spicy are the two unsatisfactory words I came up with. Others online have used barnyard funk and animal/feral. I get those. Distinctive indeed. It was the wine’s most intriguing quality. “Sweetly fruity or savory?” Yes. Sweet strawberry on the attack, and a dusty, dry, spicy something else on the long, meandering finish. “Rough, tannic or smooth?” Vibrant. Especially the prickly PnP. The 2-hour decant was somewhat calmer, tingly instead of prickly, and the better for it, as even Barb, who usually prefers the fresh and lively, agreed. “Pairing?” as I always ask. It was comfortable and good with our sheet pan main, its vibrance cutting nicely through the decadent buttery baconfat. However, no great flavor match. And no earthiness or anything else that sang with the mushrooms. In weight, it was far lighter than I expect for a syrah. Barb disliked it for that reason. I liked. “QPR?” Eric didn’t ask, but both of us answered anyway: Fail.

None of those bottles represents the current release vintage, which is 2017 for all 3 producers. Not sure if this matters.

I am thoroughly convinced that Syrah will continue to have an important place in California in the future. (It got off to a bit of a false start in virtue of some irrational exuberance among growers, who planted much of it on inappropriate sites.) The grape is capable of making enormously satisfying and complex wines - food friendly, moderate in alcohol (on the right sites). The biggest issues I see is that I don't believe most growers in California are presently using the optimal clonal material, and the vineyards are still mostly planted to sites that are too warm, too dry and too fertile. I am hoping that I will someday be able to help identify a particular biotype of Syrah that possesses superior stomatal regulation - apparently, Syrah's only real tragic flaw. (It doesn't know how to protect itself very well in cases of extreme heat, dryness and wind.) A better understanding of the cultural practices that enhance rotundone production (the spicy, pepper quality that imparts typicity to Syrah) will also be helpful.

Easy one since I have a fair supply of the Lagier-Meredith from several vintages. And I believe there’s a bottle or two of Drew on hand also.