Tag Archives: PAX wine

July 25, 2012 · 9:00 AM

Senel Wine’s Top Syrahs/Blends

“Syrah is for when your palate grows up.”

That statement does sound a bit snobbish; however during a long run the other day, I found a certain amount of wisdom in it.

Early in my red wine appreciation, like many wine lovers, I was definitely all about the boisterous Cabernet Sauvignon and oaky Zinfandels, with maybe a meaty Merlot thrown in for good measure. However at some point my palate began to pick up on the nuances and layers that allowed me to appreciate the elegant boldness of Syrah and Rhone Blends.

My Syrah-epiphany took place at Bedford Village Inn (Bedford, NH) when my wife and I had the good fortune to enjoy one of the single greatest bottles of wine I’ve ever had, a 2005 Guigal ‘Ex Voto’ Hermitage. From that sublime moment on, my palate no longer simply appreciated Syrah, it began to lust for it. I wanted to recapture that majestic, sensual moment.

Since then Bacchus has smiled upon me as I’ve had some truly breathtaking experiences with my favorite grape; however on only one other occasion has a wine given me goose bumps. Here’s my list of Syrahs/Rhone Blends that have put up a valiant effort and are all terrific examples of what this complex grape can produce. 

The 2006 Émigré, with it’s aluring aromas of leather, cocoa and violet, put up a strong showing and came in at #7.

Top 10 Recent Syrahs

  1. 2005 Penfolds Grange – 100 pts
  2. 2005 Guigal, Ex Voto – 98 pts
  3. 2009 Donelan, Obsidian Vibneyard – 97 pts
  4. 2007 Clos des Papes – 97 pts
  5. 2005 Penfolds, St.Henri – 97 pts
  6. 2006 Pax, Richards Family Vineyard – 96 pts
  7. 2006 Émigré – 95 pts
  8. 2007 Pride – 95 pts
  9. 2009 Chateau de Saint Cosme – 95 pts
  10. 2006 Penfolds, St.Henri – 95 pts

Top 5 Vintage Syrahs

  1. 1996 Penfolds, Grange – 98 pts
  2. 1997 Penfolds, Grange – 96 pts
  3. 1998 Domaine du Pegau, Reservee – 95 pts
  4. 1999 Penfolds, St.Henri – 95 pts
  5. 1998 Chateau de Beaucastel – 95 pts

Have your say…What’s your favorite Syrah experience?

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August 18, 2010 · 7:31 PM

Pacific Coast Mid-Vintage Growing Report: Sonoma & The North Coast

The California Climate Rule – coastal equals cool – tells you that Sonoma should be cooler than its inland neighbor, Napa.

A simple concept presented by Hugh Johnson in The World Atlas of Wine, and it certainly reigns true, although there is a certain amount of parity this year.

In terms of viticulture, Sonoma’s geographical location affords them a flexibility that Napa, in many ways, does not enjoy.   In analyzing the production in Sonoma, it is evident that a majority of producers specialize in producing wines from varietals that suit their individual microclimates.  Be it Syrah, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley, Zinfandel from Dry Creek, or Cabernet Franc from Knights Valley, there is far more latitude for exploration.

Their neighbor (Napa Valley) to the east is primarily known as a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay producing region.  This is largely due to the fact that these varietals do well in the warmer inland climate.  Over the years, wineries in Napa have added other varietals to their portfolios; however it is in many ways difficult to qualitatively excel with this broad-based philosophy, as each varietal favors certain conditions.  Sonoma excels at those varietals that enjoy a slightly cooler climate, because these are the wines in which they focus all of their attention and research.

Many of the other regions of California have followed Sonoma’s lead.  Aided by the influences of the oenology programs at UC Davis and San Jose State, the progress of these regions in the past two decades has been nothing short of amazing.

Read United States Mid-Vintage Growing Report: Sonoma & the North Coast to find out what climate conditions are currently influencing the grapes that will be the wines you’ll be drinking starting next year and what today’s vineyard starts are doing to ensure a favorable end result.

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July 30, 2010 · 2:53 PM

Big flavor and even bigger value available from Rhone varietals in the United States

For some time now, I have been singing the praises of terrior driven, Rhone-styled wines from producers outside of France. Names like PAX / Donelan in Sonoma, Torbreck in Australia, and a few other New World wineries have yet to disappoint.  Why my affinity for Rhone varietals grown in the New World (primarily in the US)?

For one, they are amazingly food friendly, pairing with anything from prosciutto-wrapped halibut to buffalo short ribs. At the same time, they tend to be pleasing to drink on their own.

The second reason is that the Rhone grapes produce wines that give you far more bang for your buck.  Outside of Sine Qua Non, Alban, Cayuse and Saxum, the high-end lines of most producers are relatively affordable.  When you compare the prices of producers growing Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre versus those that produce Cabernet and Bordeaux blends, you can truly see the discrepancy in value.

With that in mind, there are two wineries from Santa Barbara to add to my list of favorite values coming out of the Golden State.  One of them is also making waves in the world of Pinot as well, a category that so many have come to love.

To be introduced to two enticing producers that are sure to leave you impressed, read Big flavor and even bigger value available from Rhone varietals in the United States written exclusively for Cork’d.

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July 22, 2010 · 6:00 AM

NYC Take 4: Wine Library BYOB Party

Christine & I at the Wine Library BYOB Party at the Roger Smith Hotel

My weeklong coverage of noteworthy goings-on in NYC is approaching a crescendo.  We have visited the hugely impressive Del Posto and the wine lover’s haven, Chelsea Wine Vault.  Then just yesterday we took a trip to Vayner-nation and met my mentor Gary Vaynerchuk at his shop, the Wine Library.   So where does that leave us for today?  Ah yes!  The Wine Library B.Y.O.B. after party.

Wine lovers covet after parties.  It’s a known truth, look it up!  After any kind of convention or formal event, we enjoy getting together to, well drink wine of course!  Thus, it only makes sense that everyone who traveled to NYC for the Wine Library/Gourmet Library’s earlier event gets together after to get to know one another.  It also afforded me the opportunity to get to know some of the readers of Cork’d.

A great crowd turned up, well except for the annoying Michael Bolton fan. The kid was rocking a MB shirt and had the balls to rate my wife an 87. She is easily a 95-100, a classic!

The venue selected was the Roger Smith Hotel and quite honestly, they need central air!  Just imagine, 150+ people in a 45’x 20’ room on the 16th floor after a 95+ degrees day.  If you can’t picture it, let me verbalize it for you, it was friggin’ hot!

With that being said, it was a wonderful event.  The other wine lovers present ranged from newbies bringing the typical yet enjoyable Sterlings and Chalk Hills of the world, to more proficient palates bringing more esoteric finds from the Languedoc, Jumilla and Santa Barbara (although someone did bring Barefoot, I can only hope that was a joke!).

I had the distinct opportunity to show a few of the PAX/Donelan wines, which Joe Donelan had sent himself for the occasion.  Of the three wines shown, the ‘07 Kobler Syrah was the sleeping giant of the bunch.  It started out pleasant yet restrained; however after being open for about an hour, it unleashed an experience that easily rivaled Guigal’s Ex Voto!  I would say that makes this the single best value wine I have come across (the ’07 Kobler goes for roughly $45 and the ’05 Ex Voto for roughly $350).

Dropping some knowledge regarding Food & Wine pairing and the versatility of Zinfandel/Syrah.

The event, like many wine gatherings in NYC, brought together an eclectic and enjoyable bunch.  From my buddy and fellow Cork’dster Jon Troutman, to the young man who was inspired to start blogging about tea, to Brooke & Justin, a really cool couple living in NY, but were thinking about moving to New Hampshire, nearly everyone was a delight to speak with and learn from/educate.  There were a few “wine bullies” present; however in this type of setting, it is easy enough to ignore them and just be entertained by their sense of self-worth.

Upon leaving the event, I couldn’t help but think about how many other events like this most go on almost regularly in NYC.  The abundance of quality wine, wine shops and wine drinkers must lead to a good number of events, right? 

I checked LocalWineEvents.com and sure enough there is plenty to do in NYC as a wine lover (outside of the ridiculous restaurants and wine shops).  I highly recommend that you try to attend an open tasting or B.Y.O.B. party if you are in the area.  This is especially my recommendation if you are coming to visit and want to do something truly unique.  This event certainly proved to be a wonderful way to learn, meet new people and drink some terrific wine!

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April 21, 2010 · 8:00 AM

Restaurant Wine Lists: Common Pitfalls and Wines You Can Rely On

A playground for wine lovers!

As many of you know, quality restaurant wine experiences are a passion of mine.  There is nothing that irks me more than a restaurateur who simply uses big names to lure the dollars.  Many do so because all they know are the names and are too lazy to dig deeper or don’t want the hassle of having to promote wines without big names.  Thus, they usually use poor vintages or wineries whose reputations no longer represent the wines they produce.  

I have recently written a two-part piece for Gary Vaynerchuk’s Cork’d, an online community site for wine lovers that features a terrific array of articles about currant wine news.  The following articles Restaurant Wine Lists: Common Pitfalls and Restaurant Wine Lists: Wines You Can Rely On are written exclusively for Cork’d.

As a bonus, here are three producers that will simply blow you away if paired with your meal!
  
PAX, SHAFER  (SYRAH): These two producers create the most sublime Syrah outside of the Rhone.  Syrah is exceptionally food friendly and outside of Pinot Noir, probably the most versatile wine due to predominantly good acidity and fruit.  This varietal pairs especially with pork, game bird, lamb and steak and even better if they are served with a Rosemary or Thyme preparation.  For the money, this varietal is the absolute best value, especially with these two producers!
 
RAMEY (CLARET or CABERNET SAUVIGNON): California has no better winemaker than David Ramey in my opinion.  His wines are a refined expression of terrior and will pair wonderfully with your prime cuts of steak or a fine cheese plate.  The Claret is a tremendous value option; however if you feel like making it a truly memorable experience, his single vineyard Cabernets are devine!
 
 

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