Spring is finally here and I want to focus on an interesting varietal that can come in many different styles—the Syrah. The grape is the seventh most planted varietal in the world and is grown in a large number of countries, with a large number of different styles. Syrah tends to be a full-bodied wine, but different growers use the grape to produce an amazing variety of tastes.
In the grape’s native France, most producers in the Rhône Valley blend Syrah for a smoother, softer and consistent offering. Producers in the U.S. and Australia (as Shiraz) take a bolder view of the grape and tend to feature the varietal more as a stand-alone, creating a full-bodied, fruit-forward wine, often featuring a characteristic hint of black pepper.
Penfolds Grange
The Australians call the grape Shiraz, and the textbook example of Shiraz is Penfolds Grange, grown in the Barossa Valley. It’s the Gold Standard for Australian wines. The Aussies go for the gusto, and Grange is an amazing fruit-forward blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet. Reserve this for your finest gatherings, as it retails for about $700.
Shafer Relentless
Relentless is one of my very favorite wines. I love concentrated reds, and Relentless is just as its name implies—it almost leaps out of the bottle at you! The fruit is very rich and the wine also has a hint of black pepper, which is a common note of most Syrahs. Shafer is a well-known Napa producer, and Relentless is a solid performer. Unlike many Napa Cabernets, this full-bodied red wine is a bargain, selling at retail about $85 per bottle.
Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône
I’ve recommended Beaucastel wines before. The Perrine family’s Chateauneuf du Pape is a family favorite—and a wine that I entertain with often. A lower-priced blend by this Rhône producer is one we drink often as a table wine. While it has intense fruit, it is a softer wine with lower acidity and tannins (the “red” part of the wine), and it pairs amazingly well with beef and pork. The wine is priced for a great family meal at about $23 retail.
Wine Tip
If you open a lot of older bottles of wine (like I do) consider a two-prong wine opener (just Google it and you’ll see the image). These openers don’t cause old corks to split and fall apart as easily as other types. It’s much better than using a strainer.
