2007 Smoking Loon, Syrah, California

Terry post:

Smoking Loon is another one of those brands for which I have had a great deal of experience with and with which I am favorably disposed.

For a medium-priced wine they have generally provided me excellent value for the price - a good wine at an even better price. Smoking Loon usually scores well on my quality-price continuum.

I was then a little disappointed when I popped open a bottle of their 2007 Syrah Wednesday evening. I did not get the fruitiness which I have come to expect with a California Syrah. What I got was something different: something not quite Syrah lacking the "oomph" and intensity which I crave in this varietal. Maybe Smoking Loon is test marketing Syrah-lite?

My impressions: Medium red in the glass. Cherries followed by pepper, smoke and spice box on the nose. Fruit and noticeable tannins nicely balanced across the palate. Food friendly. Light bodied for a Syrah. Brief finish with spice box again. No fatal flaws. No outstanding characteristics, either. Recommended.

Second thoughts: I know that if you read the words above you'll wonder why I still recommend the wine. Well, it is price-quality continuum thing. While not living up to expectations of a Syrah, it's price point over-rides that consideration. Were this a $19.99 bottle I would not recommend it. At $5.99 it is a great value and I am willing to overlook a technical shortcoming or two.

Smoking Loon web site here.

$5.99 on sale at Giant Supermarket.

~ Terry

Tasting Notes: Syrah

Brad Post:

I’ll be the first person to admit I lack sophistication when it comes to wine appreciation. Nine weeks ago when I began my wine sensory analysis odyssey, part of my enology certificate from Des Moines Area Community College; I was better able to detect a wine flaw (e.g., volatile acidity, cork taint, acetaldehyde and other nasties) than to describe the renowned “cat pee” odor in a Sauvignon Blanc. Since then, guided via online lectures and through experiential learning, my wine appreciation lexicon and abilities to detect aromas/flavor and describe them have improved significantly.

In contrast to my brother’s write-ups, whose tasting notes originate from years of experience as a restaurant wine director, his informative and often poetic prose bridge the gustatory gap between good wine and real-world food-pairings. My wine training evolved from making wine to learning about appreciation under the tutelage of a professional winemaker, sensory analysis instructor (first level sommelier), and wine competition organizer and judge. So, it would be fair to say my training leans more toward the scientific (a step-by-step evaluation procedure) but, in the process, I also hope to infuse a bit of “brad” in the writings as to keep them less academic.

Nearly 30 wines later, we are introduced to three new red wines, one from California, another from Washington, and the final from Colorado – each wine is 100% Syrah. Whether you’re from Australia and call it “Shiraz” or from the southern part of France and simply know it as a “Rhone” valley wine (i.e., Côtes du Rhône) we are talking about the same grape! Big and bold, Syrah, is typically a heavily extracted and powerful red wine. Here are my notes from the Syrah tasting, in the order sampled:

1. Cline (2007) Sonoma County, Syrah (CA). (Alc. 13.5%, Source: HyVee, Cost: ~$10).

Deeply intense purple wine whose initial blackberry and cherry fruit essence was pleasant to smell. Bright and lively almost to the point of puckering, this tart blackberry imbued wine brought with it light astringency, moderate tannins, and just the right amount of oak. Tart. The up-front acidity and lively fruit gave way to a bit of heat mid-palate and post swallow. More watery than I expected. Moderately long and fruity finish but tends to smell better than it tastes. Good.

2. Snoqualmie (2003) Columbia Valley, Syrah (WA). (Alc. 13.5%, Source: HyVee, Cost: ~$9).

This slightly browning Syrah suggested her advancing age immediately. Right away I noted there is “a lot going on” in this glass! First off, notes of buttery goodness and some caramel, toasted nuts, earthy loam, and do I get “barnyard?” – not sure, but something farmish; cooked dark fruit and jam, and finally just a trace of chocolate. Wow! My mouth was happy to accept the full, creamy, rich, whole milk-like coating first with black cherries, and then smooth lightly burned toast, some oak and a wonderfully pleasant smoky finish. BIG! SMOOTH! SEDUCTIVE! Cherries persist on the palate for a long, long time. Buy it now and drink it today or yesterday – time is running out for this hidden, bottom shelf wine. Surprised.

3. Canyon Wind (2006) Grand Valley, Syrah (CO). (Alc. 13.6%, Sources: Winery, Cost: ~$18).

Initial scents of something akin to “pee” gave way to dusty, musty, rich earth and spicy pepper qualities and oak smoke. No fruit but very fascinating. The flavor profile of this wine had me scribbling like mad: “Rich, tart, cherry, blackberry, spice, black pepper.” HOLY COW! “light astringency, moderate tannins, lingering spiciness, persistent cherry.” RICH. THICK. First impressions are wrong – this wine is delicious. Seriously COMPLEX. Such a great, long lasting finish laced with cherries and black pepper (and smoke) kept me wanting more and imagining ways I could steal away with the contents! Look out California – Colorado is in the house!!!

Post Tasting Notes: What a great tasting! Our favorites were the Canyon Wind (3 picked) and the Snoqualmie (1 picked). Upon the reveal we were surprised to find the Cline at the bottom of our favorite list; and thrilled to see Colorado at the top followed closely by the Washington wine! Cheers to Colorado whose wines are really gaining traction. The full-bodied style crafted by the two favorites seem to be indicative of the traditional Rhone style, big and bold! Take home message: Watch out for Colorado wines (buy some too) and get your hands on the quickly fading, yet wonderful, Snoqualmie Syrah. Cheers!

2007 Cantara Cellars Syrah, Lodi California

Terry post:

I am seldom surprised when I drink a wine. Going in, I usually know what to expect and have confided to friends that I could write a review without ever having tasted the wine - based on the varietal and my experience with the winemaker or winery.

Did I ever get that wrong today!

Cantara Cellars will not impress anyone with their building (industrial plaza) or location (Oxnard Plains) but something special is taking place inside their humble facility: that something special is making great wine.

Cantara Cellars is a small winery (I don't think I saw more than 50 French and American oak barrels total in back) which sources virtually all of their juice from the vineyards of family and personal acquaintances in Lodi, California.

With one white and four reds I settled in for a tasting with the very affable owner, Chris Brown.

You know the scene in the old movie where the boy falls in love with the girl? The scene will include fireworks exploding in the sky: well, my first taste of the 2007 Cantara Cellars Syrah was something like that. Wow.

I purchased a bottle of the Syrah and have spent a several hours of quality time sipping, chewing and genuinely enjoying this fine wine.

My impressions: Inky dark garnet intensely colored in the glass. Blackberries and chocolate powder initially on the nose with the chocolate fading way to pepper as the wine opened up in the glass. Profoundly earthy and mouth filling. Deftly balanced with fruit up front and the acidity at the end - just right. Concludes in a long finish with the tannins winning out over the fruit - but, just barely. Superb.

This is a big red and, as such, I would recommend it with the typical pairs including: beefsteak, prime rib, and bison steak.

I have no idea if Cantara Cellars can continue to produce this wonderful Syrah, or for that matter, their also-wonderful Zinfandel year-in and year-out. Time will tell.

Their Facebook page. Their website.

This is a winery to keep your eye on.

$29.99 at the tasting room.

~ Terry