It’s Not From Australia Only
I am at my breaking point of close minded people who label certain grapes or countries as wines they will never try. Yes, the Syrah grape is known as Shiraz in Australia and yes they tend to be very jammy and spicy and high alcohol. California Syrah also tends to be more tame but also blended and a little on the jam bomb side to say the least. That’s one expression or style of a grape. I hear day in and day out for the last 20 years, “I love big bold red wines but just not Syrah”. “Syrah doesn’t sell in my restaurant as steak lovers only want Cabs or Merlots” “I love really big bold wines but nothing that has Syrah in it”. Get Australia and California out of your minds with this grape. There is no way in the world if you like Big, Dark, Rich Red Wine that Syrah might be your most favorite grape wine in the world if you would just be open minded and let someone like me introduce you to a totally different expression or style of this amazing grape variety. NUMBER 1- Me, Captain Washington will always say that Syrah from Walla Walla is really hard to compete with. NUMBER 2- Most people would say the opposite but, The Northern Rhone 100% Syrahs from Crozes Hermitage or Cornas are the second best expression of the grape. Both styles don’t even come close to what you might have had and are hating on with those fruity, jammy, sugary Shiraz’s. Today I am going to review a bottle from the Northern Rhone Valley from Crozes-Hermitage …100% Syrah and I just know you will love it even if you labeled yourself as a Cabernet Or Merlot ONLY Drinker.
Domaine Des Remizieres
Domaine des Remizières is a family winery since three generations. From 1973, the vinification is completely made on the domaine. Since this year, the domaine has greatly expanded since it currently reaches 35 hectares when they started out with just 4 hecatares. At the beginning, Alphonse managed the estate. Then Philippe, his son, settled down in 1977 and he decided to market all the production in bottles. Increases and modernization were made then little by little. In 2005, Emilie, awarded in oenology, joined with her father. In 2009, Christophe, Emilie’s brother, joins the domain with a BTS viticulture/oenology. The Domaine expands over many villages in the Northern Rhone with the Reds focusing on Syrah.
2016 Cuvée Particulière
This Cuvee (Blend) is 100% Syrah from many different parcels of land in the Crozes Hermitage area with the average age of the vines 45-50 years!. Alcohol is only 13% but yet this is hardly entry level or a lightweight. It spends 15 months in (demi-muids … fancy french term for Oak Barrels that are 600 liters as pictured in the very top of the blog. ) It is a good mix of New Oak and Neutral Oak which I like. All the grapes are from clay and limestone soil, lots of rocks on hillsides. Let’s break down the wine.
My Review
Very shiny and dark, almost black in the center. I love the dark color that Syrah Grape Skins give to the wine. Nice medium plus on the body and the legs. Classic Syrah aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, mixed with dark black licorice and aromas of freshly paved asphalt or tar. On the Palate for the price point this had big, bold flavors, lots of minerality , and certainly no jam or sugary flavors on this profile. The wine needs another 2 years or so to be in it’s peak drinking but after 2 hours of breathing it was perfection with those dark tarry flavors and fruit gliding to the back palate finishing with a fresh dusting of white pepper spice. This is a great steakhouse wine and I AM TELLING YOU for the BIG BOLD CABERNET drinker this is the STYLE of SYRAH I want you to try. No Kangaroo wines here. All in all a classic, old school value driven Syrah, very focused and precise and the smell of tar always wins me over so I will score this wine 92 points out of 100.
The Summary
I don’t steer my readers wrong. There is too much hating going on about Syrah and I personally apologize for the negative experiences so many of you have had with this grape. There is again , just no way to say you like big bold, dry wines with some integrated tannins with dark fruits and a long finish that Syrah wouldn’t be your number one grape varietal as it is Mine. This is the wine for a Ribeye, A Juicy Burger, A Strip Steak or even a well done Roast Chicken or other Poultry like Duck. FYI not that points , mine or anyone’s really mean anything but Wine Advocate kind of likes this one too and so will you. $19.99 you can’t go wrong.
Parker’s Score
Grape-fully yours, Larry
Larry The Wine Guy 