Since my wife would be visiting from her year abroad in China; I let her decide on the theme for my last wine tasting. Having heard about a similar event I worked at Swirl wine in Yaletown she choose Sausage & Syrah. For those who aren't sure, Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape variety. Syrah is the traditional french name and Shiraz is what they call it in Australia. If you see Shiraz labeled on a wine not from Australia it usually means they are making it in that riper style.
We had 14 people come out for this great line up paired with some sausages from the local butcher. We started with a delicious sparkling Shiraz to cleanse the palate and then we tasted the wines blind in pairs of similar origin.
1. MCGUIGAN - BLACK LABEL SPARKLING SHIRAZ - Australia - $17.49 - Everything Wine
There are several red bubbly wines that you will see throughout the wine world but the most common are the classic Italian Lambrusco, and Sparkling Shiraz from Australia. These can be served chilled from breakfast until later into the evening. This one was dry and refreshing with notes of blackberries, plum, and chocolate covered cherries.
For many in the group this was their first experience with Sparkling Shiraz and became 3 peoples favorite wine of the night.
PAIRING #1:
The first pair of wines hailed from Chile where you can find some amazing value across the board. I choose these 2 wines as they were from the same Producer and region but of different price/quality.
2. LEYDA - RESERVE SYRAH - 2015 - Chile - $14.49 - BC Liquor
This is a reliable value Syrah from the cool Leyda Valley with dark fruit, coffee, a hint of meaty salami, some spice, and good acidity with a decent finish.
3. LEYDA - SINGLE VINEYARD CANELO SYRAH - 2015 - Chile - $23.99 - BC Liquor
This one definitely had more complexity and depth to the flavour. Mint cherry, a bit meatier, more spice, good length, high acidity. This was the undisputed favourite of this pair and was 1 persons favorite wine of the night.
PAIRING #2
The next pair came from Australia and I choose 2 different regions to highlight Aussie Shiraz. Mclaren Vale and Barrossa are the most well known and probably make the best Shiraz's
4. SHIRAZ - WILLIAM HARDY MCLAREN VALE 2014 - Australia - $17.99 - BC Liquor
This wine was not showing the best and was a little flat in flavour. It had hints of black fruit, spicy chocolate and toasted vanilla. Not a good example of what McLaren Vale has to offer as a region.
5. PETER LEHMANN - SHIRAZ - THE BARROSSAN 2015 - Australia - $21.99 - BC Liquor
This wine was the preferred one of the pair and has nice complexities for this entry level Barrossa Shiraz. Notes of floral, black raspberry, mocha, and hints of nutmeg. Nice nuanced complexities that could still develop for a few years in bottle.
PAIRING #3
The third pair comes from the Rhone Valley in France where they definitely make some of the best most sought after Syrahs in the world. Both these wines would be considered entry level for their respected categories.
6. ARDECHE SYRAH - SAINT DESIRAT 2015 - France - $12.49 - BC Liquor
This easy drinking table wine is good value, but lacks the depth of flavour a few more dollars may bring. Red fruit, a little savory, with a hint of spice. A nice wine but doesn't hold up to the better tiers.
7. FERRATION PERE & FILS- CROZES HERMITAGE LA MATINIERE 2014 - France - $36.99 - Kits Wine Cellar
Crozes-Hermitage is largest region in the Rhone and considered entry level for Hermitage which usually start at over $80 a bottle. Anything under $35 is usually a little bland. This one was a great find and showed red fruit, backed caramel, forest floor, a nice savoriness, ultra smooth in the mouth, and really well balanced. This was the favorite of the pair and the winner of the night being 9 peoples favorite wine.
PAIRING #4
With this pairing I wanted to highlight one of the most common blends you will see with Syrah made famous by the premium region Cote-Rotie. Here they can add up to 20% of the white grape Viognier to their Syrah adding freshness and textural elegance. Unfortunately for me these wines start at $100 a bottle so I picked up a couple of new world examples at similiar price points.
8. YALUMBA - TRIANGLE BLOCK SHIRAZ / VIOGNIER 2013 - Australia - $28.49 - Everything Wine
With this pairing I wanted to highlight one of the most common blends you will see with Syrah made famous by the premium region Cote-Rotie. Here they can add up to 20% of the white grape Viognier to their Syrah adding freshness and textural elegance. Unfortunately for me these wines start at $100 a bottle so I picked up a couple of new world examples at similiar price points.
8. YALUMBA - TRIANGLE BLOCK SHIRAZ / VIOGNIER 2013 - Australia - $28.49 - Everything Wine
This is a nice example from Australia with notes of pine, red fruits, leather, and med acidity, a bit restrained. On the palate red fruit, hint of menthol, and white pepper with a smooth mouth feel. Half the group preferred this one as the bit of smoke put them off the BC version.
9.HESTER CREEK - SYRAH / VIOGNIER - Okanagan - $29.99 - Kits Wine Cellar
This award winning BC version has 15% Viognier included in order to put it on the label. It had ripe raspberry, smoke, dried pepper salami, and toasted cherry vanilla. Really nice mouth feel with velvety tannins. This was 2 peoples favourite on the night,
PAIRING #5
The last pair of the night was a couple of my go to BC Syrah's; one from the Osoyoos in the Okanagan and one from near Cawston in the Similkameen Valley. BC makes some great Syrah's in a variety of styles depending on if the grapes are grown in the northern or southern areas.
10. SIREN'S CALL - SYRAH - Similkameen - $33.99 - Swirl Wine Store
Siren's Call are made out of the BC Wine Studio in Okanagan Falls. The grapes for this wine ares sourced from the Similkameen Valley. It has notes of smoke, ripe raspberry, some spicy black pepper, fresh tobacco and a little hotter in alcohol. This was 2 peoples favortie wine of the night.
11. LUNESSENCE - WINEMAKERS CUT SYRAH - Okanagan - $33.99 - Swirl Wine Store
Lunessence has created their Winemakers Cut series similar to a Directors Cut of a movie. This wonderful Syrah had notes of cranberry, ripe plum, smokey bacon, a nice herbaciousness, and a hint of minerality. A nice terroir driven wine that is well balanced with nice crisp acidity and fine integrated tannin. This was the preferred of the pair and 4 peoples favorite wine of the night.
Comment below if you try any of these wines or let me know what your favorite Syrah/Shiraz is!
Happy sipping!
