Category Archives: Shiraz
All About Syrah
Other producers to check out that make a fine Syrah would be Purple Star and Arbor Crest, both from Washington State. Purple Star is a Columbia Valley winery, and for this 2008 Syrah ($14, 13.9%) the grapes were from both the Whaluke Slope AVA and the Yakima Valley AVA. This wine had a smooth finish and aromas of blackberries and spicy vanilla. Arbor Crest makes an excellent Syrah as well, with the 2009 vintage ($24, 13.8%) being quite exceptional. This wine is made from Columbia Valley grapes sourced from 3 vineyards. It is full bodied with aromas of spicy blackberry and oak, and has a nice spicy finish as well. The 2010 vintage is also an excellent choice.
Now that spring has sprung, might as well enjoy it with a nice glass of syrah:)
The Razor’s Edge
So I admit, the label on this wine sold me. However it was a good bottle of wine, and besides isn’t label art supposed to sell wine?
Razor’s Edge is from the McLaren Vale region in South Australia. This region is located 20 miles south of Adelaide, and the first vines were planted there in 1838. Together with an excellent range of soil types and an annual rainfall of about 22 inches, it has become one of the most important wine producing regions in Australia. The producers of McLaren Vale have gained a good reputation for big, full-bodied red wines. This 2008 Shiraz was a pretty decent glass of wine. It had a nice purple color to it, with hints of spice on the nose, and a nice smooth finish of spicy blackberry. Just a little hot at 14.5% alcohol, however it still was pretty well balanced, and was a great glass of wine to relax and enjoy the evening with.
I also tried the Razor’s Edge Shiraz – Grenache blend. This 2008 is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache. This wine was definitely not as full-bodied as the 2008 Shiraz, but still had a nice smoothness to it, along with a spicy finish. Overall I would say you can’t go wrong with both of these wines, and also for $10.49 each, the price is right for some great, easy drinking wine.
Cheers!
Seth