DRINK

Baby,

It's Cold Outside - and that means big rich beverages!

Yes Virginia, the holidays are finally over, leav­ing in their wake some darned cold days and nights. This is the perfect time of year for heavy comfort foods - stews, potpies, hearty soups and braised meats. With all those heavy dishes goes the need for something deeper, richer, fuller. A wine that can hold up to heavy dishes and that can serve as a course in and of itself.

Yes, I am talking about Syrah - or Shiraz if you're an Aussie. Why the two distinct names for the same grape? Maybe the lack of ozone in the southern hemisphere led the Australians down the rabbit hole, or the myth that they named the grape after its falsely assumed homeland, the Shiraz township in Iran could have played a role, but I di­gress.

Syrah has been genetically identified as hailing from southern France, where it enjoys the prominant position of being the kingpin grape for many regions - what the French term AOC, or appellation d'origine controlee (yes - that is quite a mouthful isn't it?) wines.

I love syrah. And here in the northwest we have some producers who craft exemplary wines from this intense, meaty grape. I'll get to some recommendations down the line but here's what this grape is all about.

First, it is a great grape for making an excellent and distinctive varietal wine - that is a wine made solely from just Syrah. Secondly, it is such a flavorful grape with lots of natural body and texture that it also works exceptionally and famously well in blends. Flavors typically assigned to syrah run a wide gamut - from blackberry, blueberry and black cherry to coffee, leather, chocolate, roasted meats and pepper. Throw in a little anise and nutmeg from time to time and you have one serious grape on your hands! It can be such a chameleon because it grows so well in many differ­ent parts of the world, each with their own climate and soils. Syrah seems to host a broader range of flavors than many other grapes.

The most famous syrahs are those from the Rhône region of France. In the northern reaches of this river valley zone, the most famous and historical examples of syrah come from Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cor­nas. In the southern Rhône valley, the famous appellation of Chteauneuf du Pape gives us the specialty blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. There are other grapes that are permitted in this regional blend, but that is the kind of the standard recipe that most producers follow.

There are some more good regions in this southerly reach that produce excellent examples of intense syrahs - Vacqu­eyras and Gigondas being two of my favorites. These are big, robust, rustic and spicy wines that can hold up to just about any heavy dish you can throw their way.

In Australia, the predominant style is a bit sweeter than their French counterparts. More heat, longer growing days and richer soils, combined with the southern growers' style of leaving the fruit hanging longer on the vine resulting in soaring sugar levels at harvest time, make these wines not only delicious but somewhat more approachable at an early stage in their bottle life.

Now we get to Washington State. And yes, we produce some truly stellar examples of this noble grape. Funny that syrah does not enjoy the exalted status here in the U.S. it deserves, but these things come and go in trend waves so at some point I hope a new "Sideways" shift will occur and syrah will take its rightful place amongst the stars.

Our Pacific Northwest syrah seem to enjoy straddling the fence between the French and Australian styles. Big and ro­bust with lots of French spice and gamey qualities, but also showing that big jammy style of the Australian wines. They can be a delightful and memorable force to reckoned with.

In the past year I had the opportunity to taste some truly excellent syrah from the neighborhood, and here are a few that you should put aside some shekels for:

Long Shadows Sequel, Sleight of Hand Funkadelic, Reininger Walla Walla Valley Syrah, Cayuse En Cerise, K Vintners Wahluke Slope Syrah and Dunham Cellars Co­lumbia Valley Syrah are all killer examples of how much the syrah grape loves the soils and climate here in our own backyard.

If I had to pick a favorite out of the bunch, I'd go with the Funkadelic for its sheer audacity, intensity and balance. For such a powerhouse of a wine, it shifts its punches to hit all the right pleasure points no matter the dish or occasion it's confronted with.

Don't forget your syrah! It's wintertime and there is no better time for a big rich bottle of this grape. Your roasts and stews, steaks and lasagna will love you for it! Cheers.