August Wine Night - Syrah/Shiraz

Host

Selina

Date

August 13, 2010

Bottles

2005 Little Boomey - Tim
2006 Oak Cask - Nicole
2007 Bogle Petite Sirah - Evan & Jess
2007 Boxcar Wine Company - Kevin & Matt
2007 Ravenswood - Sean & Tara
2008 Fat Bastard - Alissa & Brian
2008 Oxford Landing - Katie & Brett
2008 Rosemount Estate - Selina
2009 Steeple Jack - Derek & Joe

Syrah/Shiraz


Syrah or Shiraz is a dark-skinned grape grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce powerful red wines. Whether sold as Syrah or Shiraz, these wines enjoy great popularity.

Syrah is used as a varietal and is also blended. Following several years of strong planting, Syrah was estimated in 2004 to be the world's 7th most grown grape at 142,600 hectares (352,000 acres).

DNA profiling in 1999 found Syrah to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. It should not be confused with Petite Sirah, a synonym for Durif, a cross of Syrah with Peloursin dating from 1880.


The Results

WINNER: 2008 Rosemount Estate - 94.5 points out of 130
Producer: Rosemount Estate
Vineyard: Rosemount Estate
Country/State/Region: Nuriootpa, Australia
Price: $11.99
Aroma: Spice
Appearance: Ruby
Body: Medium
Nose: Black pepper, Blackberry, Fig
Taste: Black pepper, Raspberry, Blackberry, Fig, Cranberry
Finish: Long
Individual Points: 9, 8, 6, 8, 6, 10, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 6, 7.5



2007 Bogle Vineyards Petite Sirah - 86 points out of 130
Producer: Bogle Vineyards
Vineyard: Bogle Vineyards
Country/State/Region: Graton, California
Price: $13.99
Aroma: Oak
Appearance: Ruby
Body: Light - Medium
Nose: Vanilla, Raspberry, Cherry
Taste: Oak, Vanilla, Strawberry, Cherry
Finish: Short
Individual Points: 7.5, 4, 7, 4, 4, 5, 6, 5, 7, 7, 8, 10, 8, 5, 9.5

2008 Fat Bastard Wine Company - 84 points out of 130
Producer: The Fat Bastard Wine Company
Vineyard: The Fat Bastard Wine Company
Country/State/Region: Languedoc - Roussillon, France
Price: $10.99
Aroma: Spice, Oak
Appearance: Ruby
Body: Light
Nose: Cherry, Rhubarb, Blackberry
Taste: Oak, Blackberry, Black pepper, Cherry
Finish: Long
Individual Points: 7, 4, 8, 7, 8, 5, 2, 8.5, 4, 3, 7.5, 8, 7.5



2008 Oxford Landing Vineyard - 80 points out of 130
Producer: Oxford Landing Vineyard
Vineyard: Oxford Landing Vineyard
Country/State/Region: Adelaide, Australia
Price: $10.99
Aroma: Spice
Appearance: Ruby
Body: Medium
Nose: Vanilla, Blackberry
Taste: Raspberry, Vanilla, Cranberry, Oak, Black pepper, Cherry, Liquorice
Finish: Long
Individual Points: 6, 6, 5, 5, 4, 6, 5, 6, 7.5, 7.5, 7, 7, 8

2007 Boxcar Wine Company - 77.5 points out of 130

Producer: Boxcar Wine Company

Vineyard: Boxcar Wine Company

Country/State/Region: Sonoma Coast, California

Price: $22.99

Aroma: Spice, Oak

Appearance: Ruby

Body: Medium

Nose: Cherry, Vanilla

Taste: Cranberry, Blackberry, Black pepper, Vanilla

Finish: Long

Individual Points: 5, 8.5, 8, 8, 6, 5, 8, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5

2007 Ravenswood Winery - 72.5 points out of 130

Producer: Ravenswood Winery

Vineyard: Ravenswood Winery

Country/State/Region: Sonoma, California

Price: $13.99

Aroma: Spice, Oak

Appearance: Ruby

Body: Full

Nose: Vanilla, Cherry, Raspberry, Pepper

Taste: Sugar, Black pepper, Blackberry

Finish: Long

Individual Points: 3, 6, 4, 3, 3, 6, 5.5, 6, 6, 7, 7.5, 6, 5

2009 Steeple Jack - 69.5 points out of 130

Producer: Ballast Stone Estate Wines

Vineyard: Ballast Stone Estate Wines

Country/State/Region: Currency Creek, Australia

Price: $8.99

Aroma: Spice, Floral

Appearance: Ruby

Body: Light

Nose: Cranberry, Raspberry, Cherry, Rose, Pepper

Taste: Blackberry, Rose, Fig

Finish: Short

Individual Points: 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 3, 4, 4, 6, 4, 9, 5, 9.5

2006 Oak Cask - 64 points out of 130

Producer: Bodegas Trapiche

Vineyard: Bodegas Trapiche

Country/State/Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $12.99

Aroma: Spice, Oak

Appearance: Ruby

Body: Full

Nose: Tobacco, Mold, Red pepper, Blackberry

Taste: Cedar, Red pepper, Raspberry, Cranberry

Finish: Long

Individual Points: 4, 5, 3, 3, 6, 8, 4, 7, 4, 5, 6, 5, 4

2005 Little Boomey Wines - 24.5 points out of 130

Producer: Little Boomey Wines

Vineyard: Little Boomey Wines

Country/State/Region: Adelaide, Australia

Price: $7.99

Aroma: Turned

Appearance: Ruby

Body: Light

Nose: Turned

Taste: Fig, Cedar, Mold

Finish: Long

Individual Points: 8, 4, 1, .5, 1, 0, 2, 3, .5, 0, 0, .5, 4

Comments

Until we realized that the numbers had been counted wrong and that Selina was the official winner of July's wine night, there was some major debate as to who won. Evan and Jess thought they had won with their bottle of Petite Sirah and some of us (ehm, see Tara's photo above) thought the bottle didn't even qualify to play. Sort of like Jesse's grape juice last month, but you know. Actually alcoholic. The Petite Sirah definitely ISN'T a Syrah/Shiraz, though it is related.

Still - it's a super good wine.

Oh, wine night controversies. How I love you.