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Wine Reviews

2007 Trapiche Syrah

		Mendoza, Argentina Reviewed May 7, 2009
		Product #: 26898 Score: 87/100 Price: $8.95 Alcohol: 14%	Sweetness: Extra Dry Drink: Now Winery: Trapiche
		Add to my shopping list Add to my wish list Add to my cellar Find this wine in stores now Agent: Philippe Dandurand Wines Ltd. Find similar wines Send this review to a friend Add notes for this wine

Note: Four times a year, I publish reviews that I call Good Values Wine Picks. These are from the regular section of the liquor store rather than the Vintages section, tend to be lower priced and the most widely available of all wines. The last four reviews I did were: March 2, February 20, January 6 and July 11.

Tasting note:

VC: Deep ruby in color, the nose reveals aromas of blackberry, licorice and spices. Full-bodied, soft and spicy, the finish shows some tannic edge. My note: Alluring notes of black raspberries and cherries underlaid with licorice, dark spices and a kick of pepper. Soft polished tannins give this wine a velvet-smooth mouth-feel. Food matches: steak, goat, grilled lamb, stew, smoked deer, medium curries and spices, romato-sauce dishes and pastas.

More pairings:

bean-based dishes, beef jerky, biscuits: savoury, brisket, cheddar: sharp: 1 year - 4 years, cheddar: smoked, cheese sandwich: grilled, cheese: mature hard, chicken korma, chicken wings: spicy, chicken: butter, curry powder, eggplant: baked or grilled, fondue: meat, jack: garlic & onion, lamb chops,steaks, lamb kebabs with vegetables, lamb korma, lamb shank, lamb: rack, parmesan, Perail de Brebis, pork chops: grilled, pork roast, pork: grilled, pot roast, rabbit, salmon: grilled, sauce: cranberry, steak, grilled, tuna: grilled. More pairings...

Complementary recipes:

Serve this wine between 60-65 degrees Farenheit or 15-18 degrees Celsius. Lighter red wines, such as beaujolais, gamay and some pinot noirs, are best served slightly cooler 55-60 degrees Farenheit or 12-16 degrees Celsius.

Syrah

Shiraz and Syrah are both originally from the same clone, but various regions have chosen one name or the other. They both create rich, robust wines with a smooth texture and signature aromas of spice, pepper, clove and licorice leading, followed by dark fruit such as blackcurrant, blackberry, plum and black cherry, as well as truffle, earth, violets, vanilla, smoke, sandalwood, cedar, cigar box, earth and leather. The greatest of these wines can age for 25 years or more.

The grape was originally believed to be from Persia, now Iran, from the city of Shiraz, but has since been proven to be indigenous to France, where more than half the world's Syrah vines are planted. The legendary wines of the Rhone Valley's Côte Rotie and Hermitage are made from 100% Syrah. Syrah is also part of the blend in other Rhône wines, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape that often includes Grenache, Mouvèdre and up to nine other grapes.

This wine is also the flagship red wine of Australia, where it's called Shiraz (easier to pronounce than Syrah), and is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. Australia's Barossa Valley is particularly famous for its complex, multi-layered Shiraz. It is also becoming South Africa's leading red. California grows it successfully in Paso Robles where it's usually called Syrah.

Shiraz and Syrah pair with robust dishes such as grilled meats and vegetables, beef stew, meat lover's pizza, barbecued ribs and hamburgers, beef wellington, bison steak, brisket, meatloaf, peppercorn steak, grilled or spice-rubbed chicken, chicken sausage, fajitas, ostrich, game casseroles, venison stew, braised lamb shanks, barbequed pork spareribs and Mexican Mole.

For more details on how I do my wine reviews, what the scores mean and other background, please click here. To find definitions of the wine terms I use, from acidity to zesty, visit my Wine Glossary.

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