Syrah
Mollydooker Miss Molly Sparkling Shiraz 2019 (McLaren Vale): Winemaker notes: The nose shimmers with luxurious candied blackcurrants, the mouthfeel a symphony of bright, delicate bubbles. Cherry and fresh plum dance delicately amongst cocoa and liquorice on the palate. Fragrant oak adds layers of complexity and a hint of vanilla to this generous spectrum of flavours, creating a satisfying Shiraz that’s full of sparkle!
Crozes Hermitage Basatus Syrah 2018 @ $29.99 (Rhone): Wine Enthusiast: Black currants on the nose and palate are shaded by smoky tea leaves and char in this ripe but elegantly restrained Syrah. Sourced from 25- to 60-year-old vines and fermented with 20% whole clusters, it's a piercing, freshly composed wine that finishes with a sear of bacon fat and fine but gripping tannins.
Language of Yes (Randall Grahm) Syrah 2020 @ $34.99 (Santa Maria Valley CA): “The Language of Yes” or La Langue d'Oc is the term that medieval folk of southern France and adjacent environs used to describe who they were by how they spoke (differentiating themselves from “La langue d’oil” spoken by their northern neighbors. James Suckling: White pepper, blue-fruit and violet aromas. Medium body with fine tannins. Lovely fruit. Bright acidity. Linear and very fine. Wine Enthusiast: This latest project by Randall Grahm involves picking grapes a bit early and then drying them a tad before fermentation. In this wine, that leads to aromas of charred meat, tar, violet and purple fruits on the nose. Similar elements emerge on the sip, with açai and black pepper proving most prominent as the wine spreads its wings.
Pax Syrah 2019 @ $27.99 (North Coast CA): Winemaker Notes: A bowl of summer fruits including sweet blackberries, raspberries, black olives and pomegranates which are highlighted by black pepper, violets, and fresh green olive scents that develop and evolve with air. Vivacious and bright in the mouth with real density of flavor and concentration from the long cool growing season.
Two Hands Angels Share Shiraz 2019 @ $29.99 (McLaren Vale): Wine Spectator: Generous blueberry, huckleberry and blackberry flavors are pure and velvety, with accents of black tea, black pepper and sandalwood on a supple frame, followed by a juicy finish.
Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz 2019 @ $31.99 (Barossa Vale): Penfolds: Bin 28 offers a showcase of warm climate Australian shiraz – ripe, robust and generously flavoured. First made in 1959, Bin 28 was original named after the famous Barossa Valley Kalimna vineyard purchased by Penfolds in 1945 and from which the wine was originally sourced. Today, Bin 28 is a multi-region, multi-vineyard blend, with the Barossa Valley always well represented. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: The 2019 Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz blends fruit from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and Wrattonbully and puts it into used American oak hogsheads for a year prior to bottling. Scents of vanilla jump out on the nose but quickly recede under a wave of gently caramelized plums and cherries. Full-bodied and supple on the palate, it's concentrated and lush, with a rich, velvety finish. Once again, it's a fine value in South Australian Shiraz, and exported to the U.S. in reasonable quantities (9,054 cases).