Behind the Cork™ - Adelaida Anna's Estate Vineyard Syrah

2016 Adelaida ‘Anna’s Estate Vineyard’ Syrah ($36)

Nestled into the rolling foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains near Paso Robles, California, there is an idyllic contemporary winery owned by the Hoffman family and operated by Dr. Stanley Hoffman and his two sons, David and Michael. The vineyards which are 1400-1800 feet above sea level, all produce estate-bottled premium wines. 

 The story of this uniquely successful operation goes back to 1964 when Dr. Hoffman planted his first French varietals Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon because he had found the climate, terrain, and chalky lime-rich soil of his Central Coast ranch to be comparable to the viticulture regions of France. 

This Adelaida Syrah is 100% Syrah that was fermented in concrete and stainless steel tanks and aged in French oak (32% new) for 18 months.

It is a deep purple in color with delicate aromas of blackberries and tobacco. On the palate, this full-bodied wine has rich dark fruit flavors of blackberry, plum with some spice and pepper. The oak aging leads to nice vanilla flavors. It has a long finish that is smooth and balanced.

This Adelaida ‘Anna’s Estate Vineyard’ Syrah is a terrific wine that is affordable and obtainable. That makes it a perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - C'EST LA VIE Pinot Noir-Syrah

2021 C’EST LA VIE Pinot Noir + Syrah Blend ($13)

C’EST LA VIE wines “invites you to simply take life as it comes.”

C’EST LA VIE wines are imported from the Pays d’Oc IGP in Southern France. This region covers all the wines that are not made under the strict laws that govern the AOC-level appellations in France.

C’EST LA VIE “lends a touch of impertinence and daring as it brings its flavor to those spontaneous moments shared over a good glass of wine. It exemplifies a laid-back, informal way of life that the South of France celebrates.”

This Pinot Noir/Syrah wine is made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Syrah - an unusual blend. But they state that “C’EST LA VIE’s strength lies in the originality of its blends. Who other than C’EST LA VIE would dare to blend varietals as seeming different as Pinot Noir and Syrah?” But it works. And it really works quite well!

This wine is medium ruby in color with the expected delicate red-fruit aromas of Pinot Noir but also with some additional notes of dark fruit from the Syrah. On the palate it also has the expected flavors of cherry and cranberry from the Pinot Noir but the Syrah adds some deeper, richer fruit flavors. It has medium tannin and acidity and finishes with light tartness of cranberry.

This is a very versatile wine that is great by itself and will work with most foods. And, at this price, it’s a perfect fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Albert Bichot Wines

Behind the Cork™ - Red Wines of Maremma Toscana

Red Wines of Maremma Toscana

These red wines from the Maremma Toscana sub-region of Italy’s Tuscany are considered “Super Tuscans” using non-native Italian grapes and/or blends.

Many fine examples of Super Tuscans come from the region of Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in the southwest of Tuscany.

Here are five wonderful examples:

2017 Cantina I Vini di Maremma Sangiovese ($12)

This wine is a blend of “no less than 40% of Sangiovese with other red grapes according the production protocol restrictions” of the region. It was fermented on the skins and aged in concrete tanks. It is medium garnet in color with aromas of black cherry and plum. On the palate it has deep, rich fruit flavors, medium acidity, medium-low tannin and a hint of caramel on the finish.

2016 I Cavallini Pause Merlot ($18)

This wine is produced from 100% Merlot that is hand harvested and undergoes spontaneous fermentation in small barrels with indigenous yeast for four to six weeks. It is then aged sur lie for 12 months in barrels with weekly battonage. It is medium garnet in color with an aroma of black cheery. On the palate it has distinct black cherry flavor with just a hint of tartness on the finish.

2016 Fattoria di Magliano Perenzo Syrah ($23)

This wine is 100% Syrah that is fermented in stainless steel vats for 20 to 25 days. It was aged 12-24 months in medium toasted oak barrels that have a minimum of 24 months seasoning. It is pale ruby in color with a delicate aroma of black fruit. On the palate it has good depth of character and complexity, medium tannin and a nice finish.

2013 Villa Pinciana Terraria ($24)

This wine is a blend of 45% Sangiovese, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petite Verdot. It was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged for 15 months in small French oak barrels. It is deep garnet in color with aromas of black fruit and spice. On the palate it has flavors of cherry and raspberry, medium tannin and good acidity.

2015 Prelius Prile ($12)

This wine is produced from 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. It was barrel aged in French oak for 18 months. It is medium ruby in color with delicate aromas of black fruit and spices. On the palate it shows sweet red cherry and black fruit flavors, good depth of character, with moderate tannin and acidity.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Francesco Mazzei, President of the ‘Consortium for the protection of Maremma Toscana Wines’ (via ZEDCOMM)

Ever Wonder? Why is Syrah Co-Fermented with Viognier?

Winemakers sometimes co-ferment Syrah with Viognier. But, why would they combine a red-wine grape and a white-wine grape during fermentation?

Well, this began in the Côte-Rôtie, a wine-growing region in France's Northern Rhône Valley where Viognier often grows alongside Syrah. And, some winemakers there simply went with what they had - producing a “field-blend” wine. And, it worked quite well.

It actually turns out that blending these grapes during fermentation serves multiple purposes for winemakers.

One of the primary reasons for using Viognier in small quantities with Syrah is that it actually enhances the color of the Syrah. You’d think the Viognier would ‘water down’ the deep dark color of the Syrah. But, the chemical compounds of Viognier actually help to stabilize and retain the color of the Syrah through the fermentation process.

Viognier also has a beautiful floral aroma along with spice and peach notes that enhances the aroma of Syrah that can include plum, tobacco, black pepper and even bacon fat.

Viognier is also said to give Syrah a silkier mouthfeel.

The amounts of Viognier that are added to Syrah typically still allow the wine to be labelled as Syrah but some winemakers are actually going with full disclosure and labeling their wine as Syrah-Viognier. Either way, this co-fermentation enhances the final wine in your glass. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - McPrice Myers 'Beautiful Earth' Red Blend

2013 McPrice Myers ‘Beautiful Earth’ Red Blend ($42)

When I was looking for a good wine to accompany a recent meal, I noticed this Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre (GSM) from Paso Robles and grabbed it.

Upon pouring it, I immediately noticed that this GSM was a very deep purple color. I was expecting it to be a bit lighter, more like a medium ruby red. Then I took my first sip and again was surprised. It was full-bodied with lots of bold fruit flavors.

Once I turned the bottle around to the back label I realized why the color and taste did not match my expectations for a GSM. It turns out, this is a SGM (79% Syrah, 13% Grenache and 8% Mourvedre). Ah ha! It actually could be labeled as a Syrah!

This turned out to be a super bottle of wine! And, while it was a bit bolder than I would have paired with the meal, it was wonderful to drink. Cheers!