Tag Archives: syrah

Château de Cazeneuve, Le Roc des Mates 2013 from Pic Saint Loup, France

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This dry, Syrah based red wine is quite something. You get a bit of blackfruit on the nose but its when you taste it that you think this is actually really rather good.

The flavours are soft and subtle but all there. Plum, black cherry, blackberry with pepper and hints of vanilla from the oak its been left in. It feels grown up with good integrated tannins and is a delight to savour at the end of the day. We had this partly on its own and partly with roast lamb. excellent on both occasions.

At about £12 a bottle its very good value and worth trying again.

Château de Cazeneuve, Le Roc des Mates 2013 from Pic Saint Loup, France

Château de Cazeneuve, Le Roc des Mates 2013 from Pic Saint Loup, France

Château Villerambert Julien, Incarnat 2017, Languedoc, France

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I like Languedoc red wines, and at Eur13 a bottle this is an amazing cheap wine.

Does anyone need to know more? Made with Syrah, Grenache and Carignan there are aromas of jammy black fruits, pepper with full flavours and a great dryness and acidity balance.

Château Villerambert Julien Incarnat 2017, Languedoc, France

Château Villerambert Julien Incarnat 2017, Languedoc, France

Chateau Cabezac, Petit Arthur 2017, Minervois, Languedoc Roussillon, France

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A blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, Grenache and Carignan this is a southern french blend, plain and simple. Black fruit, spice, medium tannins and pretty dry. Actually really dry and firm tannins when you take the second glug of this wine. You get a smokyness  on the palette but its subtle, there’s some red fruit that then comes in after. These second flavours get lost when this is drunk with food but I think I prefer it with food, usual steak and chips type of food.

At £10 a bottle this is pretty good value.

Chateau Cabezac, Petit Arthur 2017, Minervois, Languedoc Roussillon, France

Chateau Cabezac, Petit Arthur 2017, Minervois, Languedoc Roussillon, France

Château de Villemajou, Grand Vin 2017, Corbieres, France

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This is a blend of Carignan , Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache. There are aromas of liquorice and cloves, stewed fruit, spices and coffee. These come through in the flavours. 

There are firm rounded tannins that hang around the mouth. It’s a fairly traditional style of wine from the Corbieres area.

At about Eur20 a bottle it’s a bit pricey for me. Good but not that good.

Château de Villemajou, Grand Vin 2017, Corbieres,France

Château de Villemajou, Grand Vin 2017, Corbieres, France

 

Costes Cirgues Bois du Roi Languedoc, France

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This is a Languedoc big red wine made with a mix of 3 grapes, Syrah 40%, Grenache 30%, Mourvèdre 30%. It’s an organic, vegan friendly wine where they let the whole bunch grape sit for 20 days, punching down the bunches each day so to extract all their flavours. You get a aromas of strawberry and cherry with hints of mint. The tannins are there but they balance well with the fruit flavours. You get what you smell with subtle flavours of violets and herbs added in. I drank this over 3 nights as I really enjoyed it on its own, just sipping away.

At about £18 is not cheap but really quite excellent.

Costes Cirgues Bois du Roi, Languedoc, France

Costes Cirgues Bois du Roi, Languedoc, France

Chateau Bonhomme mademoiselles, Languedoc red wine

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Chateau Bonhomme mademoiselles comes from the south of France, in the Languedoc area. This is a Syrah Grenache blend and is a good example of a red wine from the region. There are aromas of black fruit and tobacco and flavours of red and black fruits, spice notes and medium tannins. I think the blend with  grenache really helps add a big hit of fruit that makes this easier to drink on its own than just having Syrah and the tannins and structure that Syrah brings to wine.

At about £10 a bottle it’s a good solid Languedoc red wine

 

Chateau Bonhomme mademoiselles

Chateau Bonhomme mademoiselles

Cap Insula – Languedoc red wine

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This is a blend of three possibly four grapes depending on where you look the vineyards website or fact sheet. Sarah, Grenache and possibly Caignan or Mourvèdre. There are aromas of black fruit and some spice and pepper notes. On the taste there are firm tannins, flavours of black fruit, spice and Oak.

Like many Syrah and Grenache based wines it does benefit from being opened 20 or 30 minutes and allowed to breathe. The slave is my volume is ready to open up. At about £12 a bottle it’s fair value.

Cap Insula - Languedoc red wine

Cap Insula – Languedoc red wine

Dom Brial – Mirade – Cotes du Roussillon Villages – Red Wine

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A typical Cotes du roussillon villages red wine this is 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre. There are very subtle aromas of red fruit but the flavour helps redeem this with a better dollop of red and cooked fruits. This is no flagship wine, it’s a presentable, drinkable guzzling wine and at approximately £8 it’s reasonable.

 

Dom Brial - Mirade - Cotes du Roussillon Villages - Red Wine

Dom Brial – Mirade – Cotes du Roussillon Villages – Red Wine

Marks and Spencer Burra Brook 2015 Australian Shiraz

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Super market wines have come a long way in the last decade or so. This Shiraz is a typical Australian red, plum and cherry on the taste with a hint of cloves and herbs. I found it best to leave it as it improved by the next day. As part of a  meal for 2 package I can’t fault it, would I buy it? No Spencer Burra Brook 2015 Australian Shiraz

Marks and Spencer Burrs Brook 2015 Australian Shiraz

Marks and Spencer Australian Shiraz

 

Phantom Creek 2016 Syrah, Okanagan Valley in Canada

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Canadian wine is normally decent. It’s hard to get a bad bottle. This wine from Phantom Creek in the Okanagan Valley is amazing. I’m likely to die poor and pickled because of this one. Tannins are very well integrated, soft but there in the background.

There are aromas and flavours of black fruit, cherry and plum. Put your feet up in front of the fire or lay back in the garden on a summers night and gently sip this. The world suddenly seems ok after all.

At CAD75 a bottle it’s not cheap, very  expensive for most people but exquisite.

Phantom Creek Syrah 2016, Okanagan Valley Canada

Phantom Creek Syrah 2016, Okanagan Valley Canada