Chalet Fleur de Lys El Dorado Syrah 2002

http://www.fleurdelyswinery.com/

Hello all and welcome back to the internet's best little kept secret, for now anyway, my wine tasting blog.  I am Jeremiah Morehouse and these are simply my thoughts and flavors that I like to bring to you to help ease the headache that can be wine these days.  Remember my 2 most important rules though, HAVE FUN WITH IT, we are exploring and discovering, so don't be upset if you try something and don't like it.  Which leads into rule 2, drink what you like-eat what you like- and like it!  I can preach all day about how Petrale Sole in lemon butter sauce does not go with Napa Cab, but if that's what you like then enjoy it.  I mean one of my most memorable pairings ever was Pan Roasted Chilean Sea Bass over fall vegetable ragout with a 2000 Brunello di Montalcino (if you don't know anything about this wine, well here is your homework for now haha).  Would I recommend that to someone, probably not, but was it amazaing most definitely.  I am making an effort to expand the selections each day and find things that might be new and exciting, but I need your feedback.  Whether it's a simple question or request to explore a certain thing, shoot.  Tell me the last great wine you had!!!!
So with that said let's talk Syrah, a new grape to our tasting blog. Personally its a grape that I really enjoy, and is very underrated.  Its also a very wide spread, with great syrahs from France, California, Australia, Washington, Italy, Spain, ... I think we get the point.  Also look at the cost to rating scale.  It is ridiculous how good the value is here.  For the 2007 California Cabernets you are going to pay at least $130 for a 95+ point wine.  For a 95+ point   California Syrah you are paying around $75.  That's wicked good.  I've always said that if it weren't for the movie 'Sideways' than Syrah could have been the hot grape that Pinot Noir was during the rise of the economy there for a few years.  I'm going to follow up with this grape, I'm making it a hot grape to watch list for this fall/winter.  I like this grape in the colder weather because it is a full bodied wine.

 The first thing to notice about this wine is its concentration.  The wine is opaque in brightness with a very heavy concentration, you definitely cannot read through this wine.  Dark garnet with tinges of purple, the color is solid to the edge with a slight rim variation where the color softens.The wine stills appears to have some youthful qualities here and the tears are heavy and darkly stained.
The nose has a moderate intensity, a bit lighter than I was imagining.  Its clean with lots of black fruits, both fresh and dried.  Nuances of warm dark earth, somewhat loamy, and a touch of smoky oak rounded with a touch of menthol/eucalyptus.
The wine is dry with a medium body and a medium finish.  The tannins are Medium plus, and balanced by moderate acidity.  The flavors are all there again, black fruits, loamy earth and a touch of oak.  Also a bit of cigar tobacco flavors emerged on the palate.  Also note the warmth of this wine on the palate, at an alcohol of almost 15%, it definitely leaves a warm lingering down the throat.  Remember we are tasting a big wine from a warm year from a warm area sothis is not surprising.  All in all I like this wine and feel its a good representation of a California Syrah with a little bottle age.

Pair this against some red meat to be safe.  A syrah is very good with grilled meats like at a BBQ, but I would really like some smoked Beef Ribs with a tangy style BBQ sauce.  Mmm Mmmm good!  Salute!