Syrah

Someone recently commented to me that no grape changes from region to region as much as Syrah. I countered with Pinot Noir, but he had a point. Whereas a wine made from Pinot Noir can vary according to vineyard, wines from Syrah can differ radically according to the region in which the grapes are grown. Climate, altitude, soil, and aspect all influence the style of the wine, and the way in which a wine is produced also causes great differences. Which other grapes Syrah is blended with also results in different styles of wine. I have recently tasted three wines made exclusively from Syrah which have highlighted the wonderful, expressive variability of the grape.

Côte Rôtie

The "roasted slope," called so because the sun beats down on the steep hillside vineyards enabling Syrah to ripen fully. Just south of the city of Lyon, this is as far north in France that Syrah will reliably ripen. The struggle that Syrah undergoes on the rocky soils produces intense wines full of pepper and dark berries with big, gripping tannins. The tradition has been to add a little Viognier to the blend to soften that intensity, a practice which has become quite fashionable in Australia. As in neighbouring appellations such as Hermitage, there's a pull between traditional winemaking methods of using old oak and no destemming and the more contemporary use of new oak and greater extraction of fruit and colour. 

From a vineyard with particularly steep slopes and rocky schist soils, Pierre Gaillard Les Viallières 2007 (bought for $72) is a wine made for the US market, and has a contemporary, international taste with ripe, voluptuous fruits on the nose. It follows the tradition of adding Viognier (as much as 20% in this case), which adds attractive floral aromas. There's a wonderful cross between the modern - spicy new oak - and the old, with coarse, drying, yet integrated tannins. That combination of fruit, flowers, spices, oak, and old-fashioned tannins makes for a truly sensational wine and one of the best I've had in some time. ✪✪✪✪✪✪✪

Washington State

I wrote recently about the quality of Washington's Syrah - the state is producing consistently the highest quality Syrah in the States. The warm, sunny days and cool nights in the desert-like conditions lead to a complex combination of ripe black fruits, enlivening acidity, and firm tannins. Owen Roe are one of my favourite producers; the name comes from a 17th-century Irish soldier, while the winemaker and co-owner is called David O'Reilley. Their Syrahs, particularly the stunning Chapel Block ($55) made from a steeply sloping vineyard in Yakima Valley's Red Willow, have a ripe, fruity, tannic seriousness. The Ex Umbris 2013 ($21) is less tannic, more immediate and friendly, fruity, forward, and very drinkable. ✪✪✪✪

Victoria, Australia 

Here's an unusual wine: a Shiraz that calls itself Syrah. I again wrote not too long ago about how Australia's historic association with Shiraz is leading to wines of increased sophistication. Grapes are being sourced from cooler sites and there's less emphasis on fruit-driven wines. Jamsheed Harem's La Syrah 2013 ($25) comes from two cool regions in Victoria: Upper Goulburn, high up between two mountain ranges, and Yarra Valley, a cool, historic region which not only produces great, refined Syrah but also Australia's best Pinot Noir. The wine is a very good example of site-driven winemaking, with ripe but restrained black fruits, an uplifting acidity from the cooler climates, and a smoky, peppery structure. ✪✪✪✪