Syrah – A Wine by Any Other Name...

Syrah, Shiraz, whatever you call it, is fast becoming the hot new wine. Adaptable to many climates and terroirs, Syrah can be successfully grown almost anywhere – France, Australia, South Africa, Chile, or North America. And fortunately for us Washingtonians, Syrah is firmly setting roots in the Northwest. As in many places, wine growers here are tearing out other varietals or buying more land in order to grow Syrah.

We are fortunate to have three of the top Syrah producing wineries in the Northwest at our January 2004 program to present their 2003 NW Wine Festival Gold Medal winning Syrahs and one other Syrah vintage from their portfolios.

CHANDLER REACH has won one award after another since introducing their first Syrah two years ago. The idea of creating a Benton City winery to rival those of Northern California and France was first conceived in 1997. The winery was developed with the assistance of much top talent in the Columbia Valley.
2001 Yakima Valley Syrah is a well-structured wine, from young vines, with rich plum, cherry, pepper and sweet leather flavors.
2000 Estate Syrah is done in the Rhône Valley style with boldness of fruit and undertones of oak. Can be laid down for 5-10 years.

HELLS CANYON vineyards were planted in 1981 on the sunny slope above the banks of the Snake River. At 2700 feet, the protected Treasure Valley is influenced by marine air flowing from the Pacific along the Columbia and Snake rivers, moderating the mountain climate enough to grow Syrah.
2002 Deer Slayer Syrah reflects the character of the geography and was made as a food wine.
2001 Idaho Syrah is food-friendly, matching popular Northwest styles of cuisine.

DUCK POND uses Fries’ Desert Wind Vineyard to grow their Syrahs. The location on the Wahluke Slope in Eastern Washington, probably the hottest spot in the Columbia Valley, offers optimal growing conditions for Syrahs due to the long sunny days and cool nights.
2000 Syrah has explosive fruit quality tempered by over a year of oak barrel aging.
2001 Syrah emanates richness and warmth, with a big fruit quality matched by 20 months of French oak aging.

Syrah's History and Future
Some wine historians place the origin of the Syrah grape in Shiraz, Persia (now Iran). Others maintain it came from Cyprus, and some claim the Romans brought the grape from Egypt. However, DNA tests now indicate that Syrah originated from two ordinary French grapes, Mondeuse Blanche and Dureza, both from the Northern Rhône region. In any case, the wine is improving with modern techniques and no longer really resembles the grapes of its origin.

It is projected that Syrah will soon replace Cabernet Sauvignon in acreage planted worldwide, and many wine experts predict that Syrah will be the top selling red wine by 2005. Its food-friendly nature allows it to be paired with a wide variety of dishes because of the genial tannins, even when young.

Palomino
Simply Delicious!

At 33, Chef Bloom has managed to earn a degree in religion, develop a side career as a rock and roll guitarist, and log 17 years in food service beginning on the East Coast and including two years running his own cafe. Most of his culinary experience falls into the Italian, Mediterranean and American realms. For our January Syrah tasting he will treat us to good size samples.

The Menu

Pan Seared Polenta Cakes with Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Demi-Glace
Polenta is seasoned with Grana Parmesan, fresh rosemary and basil. Shiitake, portobello and crimini mushrooms are wood-oven roasted, then sautéed with a reduction of chicken stock, balsamic vinegar and veal demi-glace. This dish is finished with shaved Parmesan cheese, a red wine reduction and fresh chives.

Four-Cheese Oven Baked Penne with Crisp Pancetta and Caramelized Onions
Cream, black pepper, mozzarella, fontina, grana and white cheddar are beautifully blended, then finished with a crumbled garlic crouton topping.

Applewood Rotisserie Pork Loin with Mushroom Ragout
Pork loin is crusted with fresh rosemary and sage, then spit-roasted over applewood. It is finished on the grill with garlic butter. Served with a roasted wild mushroom cream sauce, seasoned with dried morel and porcini mushrooms.

Note: Extra consideration is being made for vegetarians at this program.

Back to the top.