Que Syrah, Syrah. Whatever will be, will be. I’m finding this amalgamation of colloquial expression and grape varietal particularly enjoyable today. First because the phrase as it is normally spelled and intended is one that advocates for a life that doesn’t take the events of the day too seriously, that opts for stillness rather than stress, that encourages pleasures rather than plans. Second, because drinking good wine, while not an essential ingredient, can undoubtedly offer aid in discovering a life well lived - one comprised of simpler pleasures, more relaxed atmospheres, and calmer states of mind and mood. One such wine varietal with an ability to put me, at least, in a carefree state of being is Syrah. But, before delving into this particular Syrah, there are a few misnomers about this relatively unknown grape that I’d like to address:
1) Syrah and Shiraz IS the same grape. In an effort to increase their wine export sales Australia decided to rebrand the Syrah grape as Shiraz (pronounced sure-az). They succeeded at a meager rate of some 400%, which prompted other countries (e.g. South Africa) to adopt the pseudonym which stems from its Persian origin of Scyras.
2) Petit Sirah is NOT a smaller version of the Syrah grape. In South America, Petit Sirah is referred to as just Sirah, but do not be confused. Adding to the mire, however, is the existence of Petit Syrah and Grosse Syrah, smaller and larger version of the Syrah grape, respectively. To be clear, Petit Sirah is a distinct grape from Syrah in both name and genetics.
I’m particularly excited about this wine for two reasons. First, Californian Syrah is projected to be the next big wine varietal to dominate the American market. Much like Malbec today and Pinot Noir a few years prior, Syrah, alongside Grenache, is poised to increase in production, quality and most importantly, price. So now is the best time to buy Syrah before market demands cause their value to spike. Second, the Paso Robles area is typically an undervalued and underappreciated region within the Central Coast. As a result, wines marked at ten, twenty and thirty dollars can be great values for consumers with limited budgets.
With economics and pedagogy aside, let’s begin. Wine labels indicate an important and often overlooked detail about wine, with this particular wine being no exception. Adjacent to the initials ABV (alcohol by volume) reside the numbers 15.9%. Now, the average alcohol in wine is 13.5% so already I know that this wine is going to feel extremely heavy in the mouth (Note – alcohol is directly related to viscosity and weight; the higher the alcohol, the heavier the wine will feel). But before confirming my viscous suspicions, let’s address the color and aroma. This wine is dark, dull and opaque, like looking into a cloudy pool at night. The nose indicates earthy tones of hay and dirt with a healthy amount of funk (yes, funk). There are subtle hints of black pepper, dark berry custard and vanilla, all of which come secondary as the wine opens up. Tasting the wine yields an affirmation to my aforementioned prediction - this wine is extremely heavy. I taste strong, concentrated extract with supple, lingering tannins. The fruit is overripe-to-cooked and reminiscent of cassis or Chambord. There’s just enough acid to give this wine extraordinary balance with a long lasting finish.
My only complaint with this wine is that it’s not winter outside. Summer is not an ideal season for enjoying big, bold and sturdy wines such as this particular Syrah. In short, I love this wine. Buy a bottle--hell, buy a case if you can--before the prices of Californian Syrahs begin their inevitable ascent.
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