Scott Greenberg, special to wtop.com
It’s cold outside. Winter has hit Washington like a snowball in the face. Even the dog doesn’t want to go outside… and he wears a permanent fur coat.
When it gets this cold, there’s only one thing a wine lover can do: drink BIG red wines. And the biggest of them all is Syrah.
Today, it can be found in the warm, sunny climates of Argentina, Australia (where is known as shiraz), California, France, South Africa, Spain, and Washington State to name a few
Whether you say Syrah or Shiraz, nothing warms the soul quite like the dark red wine that is made throughout the grape-growing world.
Here are some big wines to warm up with:
Former Canadian investment banker-turned-cult-winemaker Jayson Woodbridge made his claim to fame as the producer of high-end wines at Hundred Acre. Now he has set his sights on making a series of inexpensive, high quality wines under his Layer Cake label. The 2009 Layer Cake Shiraz from McLaren Vale region of South Australia is a stunning example of value in a bottle with flavors of blueberry, black cherry and chocolate on the well-balanced frame. The medium-finish features rich mocha and pepper notes. $17
Last week, I mentioned that I wanted to try more wines that were from wine regions that are a bit off of the beaten path – well the 2008 Stark-Condé Syrah from the Stellenbosch region of South Africa is a step in the right direction. This brooding beauty features melted licorice and black plums that enchant both the nose and the tongue. Additional flavors of jammy blackberries, olives and espresso weave in and out of the beautiful, if not massive, structured finish. $23
If you’re looking for something to spice up your New Year with, the 2002 Rocca Famliy Syrah from the Napa Valley should do the trick. A great expression of classic syrah, with a bouquet filled with scents of cassis and black olives. The soft mouthfeel delivers plenty of warm blackberry, dark plum and black raspberry fruit flavors on the front of the palate and hints of tar – not a bad thing – and black pepper on the long, lovely finish. $40
Another nice winter warmer-upper from California is the 2006 Pax Wine Cellars Syrah from the Sonoma appellation. A striking nose of black fruit, saddle leather and roasted meat is intriguing and lingering. The palate is filled with flavors of black cherry, dark plum, roasted game and smoke that glide over the tongue and onto the finish. Hints of mocha mingle with soft tannins to provide a medium-bodied finish. $50
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