Wines of Chile: Four Cool Climate Syrah's

Now it's time to move the review spot-light onto the four cool-climate Syrah's that were part of the wonderful Wines of Chile tasting. So no need to hop on the wine-wagon this time as we already on location, with the exception of a few small road-trips to Limari, Leyda, Lolol Valleys. I thought it was important to separate the reviews of these wine into two-parts simply because Syrah and Pinot Noir are as different as night and day. I thought each varietal deserved its own day in the review spotlight.


Some grape varieties work really well in certain climates like Pinot Noir does quite fabulously in cool climates and Zinfandel craves the warm hot climates and has made itself at home in California. However, Syrah is a different animal altogether and will work wonderfully in either climate, however stylistically with very different results. I wouldn't say one is that much better than the other, they are just different while being nearly the same if that makes sense [a bit esoteric I know].

When you think of warm-climate Syrah, places like Australia's Barossa Valley [shiraz] should come to mind and here in the US, places like Washington's Red Mountain AVA or even France's Southern Rhone are good examples of warm climate Syrah and the usual suspects [flavor profiles] show up. What you will often find, as a rule, are jammy [baked] flavors of blueberry, raspberry, and dark-cherry, because many wines produced further inland tend to be bigger, fatter, richer and often times as result higher ABV. It also tends to be a style which many consumers have grown accustomed to drinking, thanks to many of the marsupial labeled wines that have shown up on American shores. While you may not recognize the flavors, you can definitely pick-up the fruit forward tendencies of warm climate Syrah, a much riper and sometimes far less finesse, style of wine.

Cool-climate Syrahs, as they're sometimes known, are typically by way of contrast far more restrained or austere for those who favor early drinking. However, that does not seem to be the case for these Syrah samples I encountered from Chile. Rounding up the usual suspects [profiles], you'll find that cool climate Syrah are very aromatic, leaning toward classical floral notes like lavender or violet, smoked meats, leather, and tobacco. Common tastes and flavors often include black fruit, cherries, ripe blackberries, and plums; white pepper and high-tone spices are all common characteristics. Many would say that overall, it's a far less power and much more elegant style. However, it's a style that takes some getting used to, especially for folks who are not too familiar with tasting wines from the vineyards from the northern Rhone's classic cool climate area the Cote Rotie.


1. Tamaya Reserva Syrah 2009: This wine is from the Limari Valley, an interesting blend of Syrah leading the way at 97% and the balance filled with a splash of Viognier. In the glass a deep, dark brooding purple colored core. Floating up from the glass after the first swirl, aromas of lavender, blueberry, leathery, amidst some peppery notes. After the first splash down, I'm treated to some highly polished tannins, pure silk. A flavor burst of licorice, blueberry, cherry, white pepper, a bit of wet earth and tobacco all combined to give a very generous mouthfeel that I felt was a bit short in the finish, but would make for a wonderful foodie type wine, sure to pair easily with many different types of foods. I gave this wine a score of 89 points and it sells for an SRP of $18, representing very good QPR for a wine of this quality.

2. Loma Larga  Syrah 2006: This wine is from Chile's Casablanca Valley, a 100% Syrah which was not fined or filtered, so decanting is highly recommended through a screen. But don't let that bit of sway you one bit from this fantastic example of a cool climate Syrah. It definitely was my favorite, as I gave it a solid 92 point score and highly recommend it to you. In the glass, a deep crimson colored core, deeply staining legs against the glass. After the first swirl, blueberry, licorice, and meaty aromas combine to perfume the air above the glass preparing you for the coming attractions. The first sip is a head-back wow, you'll find this wine located on the drink now and drink often aisle, nice heft, and the tannins are polished, leading to a lengthy finish. Gamey, herbal and earthy complexity help you get your head around the blueberry and blackberry fruit that dominates the mid-palate, while the striking acidity keeps the wine in complete balance for the total package. Selling for an SRP of $29, it's great juice for this price point, it really over delivers and came dressed to impress.

3. Undurraga T.H. Syrah 2009: This "Terroir Hunter" wine hails from the Leyda Valley, produced by one of Chile's oldest wineries. In the glass, you'll find the core leaning toward purple. On the nose compact ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit, with just a touch of olive aromas leaps from the glass. Really nice mouth-feel, plush and giving, balanced acidity, polished blueberry and blackberry and floral flavors are drawn from the nose, leading to a nicely penetrating finish, with touches of chocolate and expresso rounding out the experience. An extremely well-done wine, with plenty to offer for the $25 price of admission. I gave this wine a score of 90 points, highly recommended.





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