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4th of July BBQ all purpose wine: Syrah
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Perfect wine for the 4th of July: Boom Boom syrah
With the July 4th holiday weekend coming up, everybody will be firing up their grill; you probably already have your menu in mind. But have you given any thought to the wines for all that hot and smoky pork, beef and chicken? Well, my "go to" all purpose wine for all things smoked or grilled is syrah. It's food friendly and amazingly versatile.
Conveniently, last night Cellar Rat had one of its patented free week night wine tastings that featured syrah, from seven different producers. Frankly, there wasn't a single dog among them and any of the following would be highly recommended for just about any hunk of meat coming off the grill.
Qupe' Syrah 2007 ($19): From one of the original Rhone Rangers, Bob Lindquist, this bottling, from California's Central Coast, has a jammy nose of plum and cherry. Flavors include dark berry fruit as well as cherry, black licorice, dry aged beef and roasted (grilled?) herbs. Delicious and meaty, this is a very complete wine, from start to finish.
Boom Boom Syrah 2007 ($18): From vintner Charles Smith, this syrah, all sourced from the Columbia Valley in Washington, is awash with dark but not brooding fruit, like blackberry, blueberry and plum. But it has a certain playful lightness (with some florals) and suppleness to it that makes it extremely user friendly. Lush and quaffable, this one goes down easy.
Trinity Hill Syrah 2007 ($20): From a New Zealand winery, you would be expecting maybe a signature pinot noir. But no, this Kiwi wine is a deftly made syrah with blackberry, pepper and spice with a hint of earthiness. Very soft and supple, it really saturates the palate with flavors; in addition, it's a delicate beauty with no distracting tannins on the finish.
J.L. Chave Mon Coeur 2007 ($22): J.L. Chave is one of the most respected wineries in France's Rhone Valley and this Cote du Rhone shows plenty of dark plum flavors, as in a plum conserve or baked plum cobbler, plus it has the trademark freshly ground black pepper, saddle leather, soy sauce and wood spice. A very tasty wine from a terrific vintage.
Benegas Syrah 2006 ($23): The sweet vanilla oak aromatics really jump out of the glass, along with plenty of raspberry. Full bodied and richly layered, the flavors of blueberry, lavender and cedar really make a case for this more internationally styled syrah. Flying winemaker Michel Rolland consulted on this wine and his penchant for polish and finesse is reflected in the wine's lovely mouth feel.
Andrew Murray Syrah, Roasted Slope 2005 ($25). Sourced from vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County (and not very far from Michael Jackson's former Neverland Ranch), this is a distinct syrah cuvee from one very sunny and hilly part of the vineyard. Lots of fruit flavors to like: plum, cherry and black currant along with hints of white flowers, bacon fat and toasted nuts. An older syrah that has really stretched out and become more complex in the bottle.
Elderton Shiraz 2005 ($35): What would a syrah tasting be without an Aussie version, which they call "shiraz" down under? The deep and dark star of the tasting line-up, it's a dense mouthful of complex flavors, including blackberry, licorice, hot road tar and lovely hints of mint and eucalyptus. It's a big boy of layered concentration, full of surprising twists and turns, and that's all part of its considerable and boisterous charm.
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See 4th of July BBQ wine picks from Miami Wine Examiner. See 4th of July BBQ wine picks from Portland Wine Examiner.
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