There was a mention of Syrah in another thread.
I'm a big fan of this varietal and since this is the What's Best forum, I thought I would start a new thread with a post of the best bottles of Syrah I've ever had, so here goes....
This is not a ranking -- each of these wines is fabulous and I would be hard pressed to place one below another -- they are each that good.
Post yours below!
All scores and reviews are by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
1989 Guigal La Mouline, 98 points
The saturated purple-colored 1989 La Mouline is an explosively rich wine, with its profound perfume of violets, black raspberries, and creamy, toasty new oak. Very full-bodied, with a dreamy opulence, gobs of fruit, an unctuous texture, and powerful finish, this wine manages to balance intensity with great elegance. Anticipated maturity: now-2016. Last tasted 7/96.
1990 Jaboulet La Chapelle, 100 points
The 1990 La Chapelle is sexy and opulent. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered.
The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed.
Despite its youthfulness, the 1990 La Chapelle is lovely to drink, although it will be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should age for 35-40+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050
1989 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon, 100 points
The 1989 Le Pavilion is a prodigious wine. Made from yields of 14 hectoliters per hectare, this parcel of old vines (averaging 70-80 years of age) has produced an opaque black/purple-colored wine, with a hauntingly stunning bouquet of violets, cassis, minerals, and new oak. In the mouth, the similarity in texture, richness, and perfect balance to the compelling 1986 Mouton-Rothschild is striking, only this wine is richer and longer. This extraordinarily well-balanced wine will probably not be ready to drink for at least 5-10 years, but it will evolve for three decades or more. It is an enormous yet amazingly well-delineated wine. I lament the fact that there are only 600 cases of this magnificent wine. This great Hermitage was the first of a trilogy (1989, 1990, and 1991) of exquisite Le Pavillons. Last tasted 12/95.
1986 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, 99 Points
A current as well as future legend, this has long been considered by Penfolds' winemaking team as the greatest Grange of the 1980s. And why not? A blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, it tips the scales at nearly 14% alcohol. I have been fortunate to have this wine nearly a dozen times, and I have consistently rated it 96-100. It was virtually perfect in June, exhibiting an opaque purple color and a provocative nose of creme de cassis intermixed with smoke, chocolate, licorice, new saddle leather, and pepper. The wine is fleshy, massively concentrated, multi-dimensional with extraordinary power, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, that seems to only occur in the greatest vintages. Moreover, the wine is still a baby and ideally in need of another 3-5 years of cellaring. This is a Grange to kill for. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030.
2005 Sine Qua Non Atlantis, 100 points
The perfect 2005 Syrah Atlantis Fe 203-1a,b,c is a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, with 25% whole clusters. An extraordinarily flowery nose interwoven with scents of blueberries, blackberries, incense, and graphite soars from the glass. Although not the biggest or most concentrated Syrah Krankl has made, it is one of the most nuanced, elegant, and complex. It remains full-bodied, but builds incrementally on the palate, and comes across as elegant and delicate, especially when compared to many California Syrahs. Nevertheless, the intensity is mind-boggling, and the finish lasts for nearly a minute. Drink this amazing effort over the next 10-15+ years.
2006 Pax Richards Family Vineyard, 98 points
The 2006 Syrah Richards Family Vineyard is made with 100% whole clusters, is likely to spend nearly 36 months in barrel and in 100% new oak. It may turn out to be a perfect Syrah, it’s that sexy, rich, and promising already. This is amazing wine with smoke and bacon fat notes intermixed with blackberry, cassis, lavender, and tobacco leaf. An incredibly expansive mouthfeel and a sensational finish with a velvety texture make for an extraordinary wine-tasting experience.
2008 Donelan Family Obsidian Vineyard , 99 Points
Donelan’s 2008 Syrah Obsidian Vineyard may be a candidate for perfection. Made from 100% Syrah and 50% whole clusters, it will spend 18 months in French barrels (one-third new). Slightly different than the 2007, it offers a striking floral component intermixed with melted licorice, abundant graphite, blackberry, and black currant notes, with some earthiness and barbecue smoke notes in the background. The wine possesses terrific minerality, laser-like precision, and enormous richness as well as length. This is an amazing, opulent, huge wine that offers ethereal elegance and precision. It should evolve for 15-20 years.
I'm a big fan of this varietal and since this is the What's Best forum, I thought I would start a new thread with a post of the best bottles of Syrah I've ever had, so here goes....
This is not a ranking -- each of these wines is fabulous and I would be hard pressed to place one below another -- they are each that good.
Post yours below!
All scores and reviews are by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
1989 Guigal La Mouline, 98 points
The saturated purple-colored 1989 La Mouline is an explosively rich wine, with its profound perfume of violets, black raspberries, and creamy, toasty new oak. Very full-bodied, with a dreamy opulence, gobs of fruit, an unctuous texture, and powerful finish, this wine manages to balance intensity with great elegance. Anticipated maturity: now-2016. Last tasted 7/96.
1990 Jaboulet La Chapelle, 100 points
The 1990 La Chapelle is sexy and opulent. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered.
The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed.
Despite its youthfulness, the 1990 La Chapelle is lovely to drink, although it will be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should age for 35-40+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050
1989 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon, 100 points
The 1989 Le Pavilion is a prodigious wine. Made from yields of 14 hectoliters per hectare, this parcel of old vines (averaging 70-80 years of age) has produced an opaque black/purple-colored wine, with a hauntingly stunning bouquet of violets, cassis, minerals, and new oak. In the mouth, the similarity in texture, richness, and perfect balance to the compelling 1986 Mouton-Rothschild is striking, only this wine is richer and longer. This extraordinarily well-balanced wine will probably not be ready to drink for at least 5-10 years, but it will evolve for three decades or more. It is an enormous yet amazingly well-delineated wine. I lament the fact that there are only 600 cases of this magnificent wine. This great Hermitage was the first of a trilogy (1989, 1990, and 1991) of exquisite Le Pavillons. Last tasted 12/95.
1986 Penfolds Grange Hermitage, 99 Points
A current as well as future legend, this has long been considered by Penfolds' winemaking team as the greatest Grange of the 1980s. And why not? A blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, it tips the scales at nearly 14% alcohol. I have been fortunate to have this wine nearly a dozen times, and I have consistently rated it 96-100. It was virtually perfect in June, exhibiting an opaque purple color and a provocative nose of creme de cassis intermixed with smoke, chocolate, licorice, new saddle leather, and pepper. The wine is fleshy, massively concentrated, multi-dimensional with extraordinary power, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, that seems to only occur in the greatest vintages. Moreover, the wine is still a baby and ideally in need of another 3-5 years of cellaring. This is a Grange to kill for. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2030.
2005 Sine Qua Non Atlantis, 100 points
The perfect 2005 Syrah Atlantis Fe 203-1a,b,c is a blend of 93% Syrah, 5% Grenache, and 2% Viognier, with 25% whole clusters. An extraordinarily flowery nose interwoven with scents of blueberries, blackberries, incense, and graphite soars from the glass. Although not the biggest or most concentrated Syrah Krankl has made, it is one of the most nuanced, elegant, and complex. It remains full-bodied, but builds incrementally on the palate, and comes across as elegant and delicate, especially when compared to many California Syrahs. Nevertheless, the intensity is mind-boggling, and the finish lasts for nearly a minute. Drink this amazing effort over the next 10-15+ years.
2006 Pax Richards Family Vineyard, 98 points
The 2006 Syrah Richards Family Vineyard is made with 100% whole clusters, is likely to spend nearly 36 months in barrel and in 100% new oak. It may turn out to be a perfect Syrah, it’s that sexy, rich, and promising already. This is amazing wine with smoke and bacon fat notes intermixed with blackberry, cassis, lavender, and tobacco leaf. An incredibly expansive mouthfeel and a sensational finish with a velvety texture make for an extraordinary wine-tasting experience.
2008 Donelan Family Obsidian Vineyard , 99 Points
Donelan’s 2008 Syrah Obsidian Vineyard may be a candidate for perfection. Made from 100% Syrah and 50% whole clusters, it will spend 18 months in French barrels (one-third new). Slightly different than the 2007, it offers a striking floral component intermixed with melted licorice, abundant graphite, blackberry, and black currant notes, with some earthiness and barbecue smoke notes in the background. The wine possesses terrific minerality, laser-like precision, and enormous richness as well as length. This is an amazing, opulent, huge wine that offers ethereal elegance and precision. It should evolve for 15-20 years.
- too spicey and mild of the few bottles I have tried.
