Syrah Surprises - Unexpected Discoveries and Disappointments

Surrah 😂😂😂, That's a funny way of saying it.

My favorite Syrah is Hermitage La Chapelle 2011

You should definitely come to Switzerland and try our grapes variety if you haven’t already try them . Especially the Syrah from Wallis :)

The thing with certain wines is that they need more oxygen to open up. Specially, with the Cote Rotie and the Penfolds. Or maybe these wine weren't ready to be opened. Great video, thanks for sharing!

Wax caps are a crime against wine…..

There’s a new winemaker in Santa Barbara California making beautiful Syrahs! From your first sip you’ll know it is special. Terre et Sang.

John Alban makes outstanding Syrahs in the Edna Valley of California. Rich, hedonistic, but balanced. This was another excellent review, Konstantin! Cheers 🥂

Mmm, love me some Syrah/Shiraz. Maybe soon I'll try to find some Northern Rhone Syrah.

Most Israeli wines are now made with Syrah, because the islamic colonisers drove the indigenous grapes to extinction, since wine is holy to Jews and Samaritans, but forbidden by the muslims. After decolonisation, Syrah was the grape that best adapted to the climate and soil of the region. I’d love to see you try some.

Great selection. Next time you may want to look at the Swiss Syrah from the canton of Valais. They are rather remarquable and age very well (10+ years easily). Producer you might want to look into - Denis Mercier, Simon Maye (vieilles vignes), domaine Cornulus (Chamaray selection) amongst others.

What do you do with all the wines you open 🤔

My favourite syrah? A blend actually; Cote Rotie, La Sereine Noire by Yves Gangloff.
A stunner.

One of my favourites is the Crozes Hermitage Les Launes. It makes me curious about what can be improved etc. Love to HAve it with duck breast wit roast potatoes and beurre rouge.

Spätburgunder

Please try 100 Reis or 1000 Rei's of herdade da maroteira from Portugal. Very good. And not the only one to say it.

Etienne Becheras (Le Prieure d'Arras) St. Joseph Cuvee Tour Joviac 2020. Tried this in my WSET Level 2 class and really liked it. Just starting my journey in wine, so could be wrong, but I enjoyed it a lot. Wonder if its something that is know. Still don't know how these labels work....very confusing in my opinion.

I know it's strange to hear/read but recently we, here in Brazil, are having excellent Syrah from many regions, specially from southern Minas Gerais. I also know they're quit difficult to reach even for us but, you know, it's always good to meet new wine regions!

Have a look at the Gibson "Old Vine" Shiraz from Rob Gibson in South Australia (Barossa Vale). Cracking bloody Shiraz "mate"

Dammit Konstantin, don't tell everyone it's under-valued, I don't want to have to start paying more for my favourite wines 😆 Next you'll be saying that about Negroamaro too and I'll be screwed! Well, I do have a soft spot for Pinotage and a good Merlot too, but I feel like I'm fairly safe with those for a while at least...I'm naming those, because if Konstantin ever reads this: please tell everyone they're all terrible 😁

Also love Cab Sav, but that's already the pricey one, although I'm drinking Pinot Noir while I watch this, but that's definitely not my thing usually.

Sikuri from Fernando Dupond estate, Jujuy

If Germany had settled Australia before the Brits... Shirrrhaz mate!

In Paso Robles, CA Calcareous has a Syrah "Moose" that is absolutely incredible. The winery blends in a touch of Petit Verdot. The first time I tasted it a few years ago, the first things out of my mouth were "blueberries and salami." The wine maker laughed and agreed with me. Of course, it's much more complex than that, but that was the immediate observation when I tasted it. Every time I go to Paso(my home away from home), I try to stop there and get a bottle, or at least taste. Now that I'm retired, my budget is a little bit more fussy, but I still love to taste that Syrah.

And regarding Au Bon Climat. Their Burgundian varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, are wonderful. They will also have a well aged Nebbiolo available from time to time which is also surprisingly good.

RIP Jim Clendenen, who passed in 2021.

That "ShiRAZ Mate" was hilarious. thank you for that.

At a more affordable price, I've always loved Penfold's Kalimna

brilliant video 🤟

I enjoy Rostaing's wines best as early drinking wines. They use a lot of whole bunch and over time some rather under-ripe tannins and nasty greenery can become dominant - often characters like juniper, mint, menthol emerge and are way out balance. I sometimes think Rostaing are inspired by Burgundy, which is fine but that other than very occasionally the wines age badly. 1999 was very disappointing at 15 years, the 2015 is now horribly murky and the 2016 is nice but fruit is hard to find. Those are three fantastic N. Rhone years, so you can't rely on the vintage. The 2018 is drinking very well right now. The 2012 and 2013 are not so lovely.

The Ampodium is, in my view, a total waste of time. A vastly overpriced, uninteresting wine. If the Cote Roties are expensive (and they are) at least they have a distinct style (whatever one thinks of it).

If you don't mind paying way over the odds, this can be a pleasant change, with a different style of Cote Rotie. I prefer their La Landonne to the Blonde but the Blonde has more cachet and I guess it is a case of try for yourself.

A showcase on South American wine would be great. My buddy deals with wine yeast in Mendoza and has a vineyard.

Next time you’re looking at Syrah see if you can find the TOM Syrah from Church Road Vineyard in New Zealand. Excellent wine!

It would be interesting to include a good Gimblett Gravels Syrah from New Zealand

The Stefano Amerighi Syrah Cortona is super nice, have had it once and couldn't find it since then.

You should try Syrah from Greece 🇬🇷 especially Agios Chronos from Avantis Estate which has a small percentage of Viognier as well.

Let's see some more Barolo / Nebbiolo action on here.

Yes come and see us in Chile - lots of Syrah and other things. (Pssst: old vines)

I just retired and got given a bottle of Penfolds St Henri by the boss. Lucky me.

Tried the 2020 Stefano Amerighi Syrah Cortona based on the rating in this video. Sorry to be upfront but it was a disappointment. Watery taste and missing a body and lasting taste.😢

Wie finanzierst Du eigentlich diesen Kanal? Du öffnest so viele "teure Weine" vor der Kamera, dass die Kosten für diese Videos oft die 500 EUR, nicht selten auch die 1000 EUR pro Folge überschreiten und das meist ohne vorgeschaltete Werbung und ohne Afiliate-Marketing ...

Road trip videos would be crazy good

ain't traditional corx (save top pomerol or montrachet..) versus screwcaps more and more pain in the ass!?

Cortona Syrah are amazing! Also Syrah mixed with Sangiovese in Toscana makes for some great wines!

You are the only wine channel that I watch. Every time I experiment with other channels they disappoint. I do still like to watch Floyd Uncorked with Pedley out of feelings of nostalgia but your blind tastings are both entertaining and informative. I watch them repeatedly. Thanks for your time and effort in making the vids.

Curious to know Konstantin if you have a preference for younger wines showing more ripe and fresh fruit character vs vinous wines with more desiccated and dried flavors as well as tertiary elements that have developed over time. Having consumed your content for many years I feel like you are a ripe fruit guy.

Big, big fan of Stefano’s wine! Love you reviewed it.

Never had a quality Australian red that didn’t have eucalyptus on the nose!

Hi Konstantin,

Once again, marvelous content and very well explained. Hope that was easy to get some of those bottles here in PT.

As you suggested, here are some good Syrah's that you can taste in Portugal:
Cem Reis Red
Quinta do Crasto Superior Syrah
Humanitas
Quinta do Noval Syrah

Cheers.

VERY VERY well done video !! max informative and interesting !!!! GRACIAS !!!! side note...the first time my eyes opened wide (really wide ) was from my first try aussie 98 shiraz tried by chance in 2000. OMG .

Nice to see some international praise for the Aussie Shirraz. Many Australian winemakers are calling their Shiraz 'Syrah' now, to indicate more freshness and restraint as a departure from the Penfolds style of very ripe, toasted oak bombs.

Hawke’s Bay in NZ is making some very serious Syrah. Have you ever tried Church Road? Very serious! Beautiful aromatics.

I'm so glad you made this video as syrah is probably my favorite red grape varietal. What an interesting and diverse roundup of wines from around the world, well done. So obviously I love wines from the N Rhone but I have kept an open mind and have to say that there's really something special going on with the Syrahs from Walla Walla Washington (so fun to say!). I have stayed away from Australian Shiraz having heard they tend to be highly extracted but lately I've had a couple of bottles from the Barossa Valley that were delicious! Next up is an Italian syrah aging in the cellar that I can't wait to try and some syrahs from Languedoc-Roussillon that I'm very curious about. Maybe we can see a round up of northern rhone syrahs with one wildcard from somewhere else thrown in there?

Need to know where you picked up the Okjai in France!

For Shiraz, try the Clonakilla syrah or the clonakilla Shiraz viognier. And for something different, try the Warrabilla Parolas Shiraz, a high alcohol wine, but great balance. Try Warrabilla's Durif too. All from Aussie, mate😂