[wine] Re: Syrah at JPs

Greetings, I'm posting the info I have. Perhaps someone who was at Sapor last week can refine the infor regarding this weeks tasting. (i.e. is it just Syrah? From anywhere? etc.) Date: Wed, 3 Jan 2007 13:43:49 -0600 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Thursday at 6:30. Call Bob (612-672-0607), e-mail the list (wine(a)thebarn.com) or reply to me. Guesses all around: Bob Lori Betsy Ruth Bill Annette Russ/Sue Jim/Louise Joyce Nicolai/Karin JP's American Bistro 2937 S. Lyndale 55408 (612) 824-9300 Cheers, Jim jP American Bistro It was a summer night, the sun was setting, and the sky above Lyndale Avenue was a flamingo and sapphire riot, and we sipped bubbly wine while watching the oh-so Lake-and-Lyndale passers-by: the gossip boys with their little dogs, the motorcycle men on their rumbling hogs, the punk-rock girls upon their clunky clogs. It was a lovely summer night, like so many, and I remember it only because of the head-turning shock of what arrived on the plate at our outdoor table: A salmon entree of such enchanting subtleness that the whole street crowd should have paused to gather round and point. The salmon in question seemed raw, through it wasn't. It was low-temperature olive-oil poached until it was firm as custard and twice as creamy, then paired with a ripe avocado, roasted until it was black on one exposed surface and plush as clouds. The two rich, creamy things were united with a vinaigrette of preserved lemons, decorated with grass-green chive oil, and further adorned with teensy perfect cubes of marinated shallot and preserved lemon peel. Every bite captured the easy joy of summer, and it was the rare dish that could make an everyday day one whose memory I'll keep for a lifetime. jP American Bistro, 2937 Lyndale Ave. S.; Minneapolis, 612.824.9300; www.jpamericanbistro.com THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS Napa Valley Syrah - Lynne Char Bennett Friday, September 29, 2006 Napa Valley, known more for its Cabernet Sauvignon, also produces other red wines, including Syrah. While this variety is represented, its production doesn't nearly approach that of the South Central Coast or neighboring Sonoma County for that matter, from where we recently received almost 80 wines for a tasting. The Napa Valley Syrahs submitted are generally more medium-bodied with dark fruit -- berry, cherry and plum, hints of earth and/or eucalyptus and moderate tannins. The wines' balance "hides" the alcohol for the most part, which flits close to or is more than 15 percent in several cases. Here are our recommendations from the 21 wines tasted. TWO STARS 2002 Burgess Napa Valley Syrah ($16) Looking for a wine to have with chocolate? This wine's aromas are reminiscent of a chocolate fudge sundae with blackberries and toasted nuts to boot. There's also some acidity and supple tannins, which equate to an unconventional but approachable Syrah for the price. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Cuvaison Carneros Syrah ($30) More medium-bodied, this straightforward quaff has cherry cola and pine aromas. There are juicy plum, cherry and raspberry flavors with moderate tannins on the finish. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 HdV Carneros Syrah ($60) Elegant and complex, this wine has a subtle gaminess with underpinnings of blackberry, black cherry, dusky herb and a hint of earth, while the lengthy palate is awash with ripe concentrated fruit, spice, leather and velvety tannins. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Novy Napa Valley Syrah ($23) An intense nose foreshadows the dark fruit and significant menthol/eucalyptus that integrates with plum skin, blackberry and a slight tarry note. There's lively acidity, grainy tannins and high alcohol that's more evident on the finish. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 Novy Page-Nord Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($32) This unfined and unfiltered Syrah delivers soft black fruit with hints of tar, molasses and toast. This is the more elegant, stylish sister, though the hit of alcohol (15.5 percent) brings it down a notch. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Peju Province Napa Valley Syrah ($32) Black cherry, cola, licorice, hints of dried herb and roasted coffee flavors pack this full-bodied wine, which has firm tannins and enough acidity to balance its concentrated fruit. ________________________________________ THREE STARS 2004 Sand T Cellars Brookside Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($28) This winery, with the Ridley turtle logo, makes just one wine. It's medium-bodied and gentle with a light spice and camphor nose, which hovers above the bright raspberry and dark cherry fruit with touches of tar and caressing tannins. This wine is available only at the winery. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Spencer Roloson La Herradura Vineyard Napa Valley Syrah ($38) This earthy, barnyard-y wine with appealing rusticity receives a lift from its very sweet, ripe blackberry fruit and touches of mint. Roast coffee flavors accompany the soft, dense fruit, while sandy tannins complement the weight and style. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Turnbull Wine Cellar Oakville Syrah ($30) The inclusion of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon in small amounts contributes to this wine's big, rich aromas and flavors that include hints of cedar, vanilla and roasted coffee atop the soft, dark fruit. The coating tannins are a bit overpowering and it could use more acidity. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Voss Napa Valley Syrah ($20) A dark black fruit nose with cassis, black plum, fig and licorice hints leads to a lively palate with cherry-berry acidity and oak. Petit Verdot (9 percent) and Viognier (2 percent) contribute structure and aromatics to the blend. ________________________________________ RATING KEY: FOUR STARS...Extraordinary, THREE STARS...Excellent, TWO STARS...Good Page F - 6 URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/29/WIGLJLB0V11.DTL THE CHRONICLE'S WINE SELECTIONS Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley Syrah - Lynne Char Bennett Thursday, August 31, 2006 More Syrah is being produced throughout California, and Sonoma County is no exception. More than 70 Syrahs from Sonoma County were submitted to the tasting panel, with approximately half from Dry Creek Valley and Russian River Valley. We'll give our recommendations for those this week. The remainder -- from Sonoma County and its other subappellations -- will follow in an upcoming edition. The Russian River Valley, noted primarily for its Pinot Noir, is fairly close to the ocean and has a climate cooler than many areas of Sonoma County. This translates to Syrah grapes with potential to retain vibrant acidity. Zinfandel is Dry Creek Valley's claim to fame, but very good Syrah is being made there, too. TWO AND A HALF STARS 2003 Adobe Road Winery Sorpresa Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($38) An intense nose of blackberry and luscious ripe red berry and a hint of smoky cedar give rise to a luscious, dense palate of blueberry, blackberry, herb and dark chocolate. Though this big wine shows a little alcoholic heat on the finish, its crisp acidity and structured tannins provide balance. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Bella Vineyards Lily Hill Estate Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($38) Grenache (9 percent) is blended into this wine, which is still a youngster. Mouth-coating tannins don't obscure the bright, juicy blackberry, cherry, citrus and mocha flavors that end with a touch of white pepper on the finish. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2002 Blackstone Reserve Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($28) This complete and balanced wine is a bit more oaky and earthy in style, with some leather and air-cured meat atop the berry and milk chocolate aromas. Rich, juicy red plum, blackberry and currant gives way to coating tannins and tart acidity on the long mocha-like finish. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Longboard Vineyards Dakine Vineyard Russian River Valley Syrah ($45) Oded Shakked grew up in Israel as a surfer before he became a winemaker and founded Longboard Vineyards. Small amounts of Zinfandel, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Grenache are blended into this Syrah, creating a seductive nose of blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate, herb, lavender and leather. The palate's rich, sweet black plum, mint, spice and bright acidity balance the tannins and slightly higher alcohol. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Longboard Vineyards Russian River Valley Syrah ($28) This big wine has great concentration with lots of dense, jammy blackberry and ripe plum flavors to accompany its floral and cedary aromas. There's plenty of spice and evident tannins, with a bit of licorice and cherry cola that give it more character. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Lost Canyon Trenton Station Vineyard Russian River Valley Syrah ($35) The enticing nose of violet, herb and sweet, ripe fruit -- black cherry, blackberry and plum -- isn't fully appreciated on the palate, which offers attractive berry, plum, mocha, spice and tar but finishes with slightly sharp acidity and grainy tannins that detract somewhat. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Novy Russian River Valley Syrah ($27) There's a slight disconnect between the nicely balanced nose of sweet ripe fruit, cigar box and spice and the palate, which has quite a bit of tannic grip and acidity with a touch of alcoholic heat. Still, it shows nice blueberry, citrus, olive, black tea and peppery spice flavors. Expect an October release for this limited production wine, which will evolve with time. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Ridge Lytton West Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($36) A rather delicate nose of violet, dark berry, mocha, earth and touch of coconut leads to an understated though balanced palate of red plum, black cherry cola and black pepper that sets it apart with its restrained style. There's bright acidity and a touch of mineral on the moderate finish. This wine is available only through the winery. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Rocinante Palindrome Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Syrah ($25) This wine doesn't advertise its 14.9 percent alcohol, but integrates it with sweet aromas of mint, lavender, herbal soap and a dense, inky palate with tangy acidity and mouth-coating tannins. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2003 Russian Hill Ellen's Block Russian River Valley Syrah ($30) A slightly less juicy, fruity wine than its sister below, this Russian Hill has a dark fruit nose with overlying clove-type spice and meaty aromas. Drier fruit flavors of blueberry and plum end with cocoa on the finish, plus a tart blackberry acidity that is food-friendly. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2002 Russian Hill Windsor Oaks Summit Russian River Valley Syrah ($36) More evident fruit both on the nose (blackberry and blueberry, plus leather and cocoa) and palate can be found in this wine, with rich, ripe plum, berry and touch of prune that finishes with supple boysenberry and bright acidity. ________________________________________ TWO STARS 2004 Taft Street St. Emydius Acres Dry Creek Valley ($18) This more rustic style of wine has chewy tannins and bright acidity in its midpalate. Dusty black currant, blueberry, cedar and black pepper flavors are enhanced by faint aromas of bacon fat and orange peel. ________________________________________ TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 Trecini Russian River Valley Syrah ($24) Rich violet, smoky bacon and air-cured meat and plum aromas lead to blackberry and currant with touches of chocolate and coffee on the finish. The bright, predominant red fruit acidity combines with soft-coating tannins to engage the palate and will support rich, braised meat dishes. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *