Still running behind on postings, but I promise to do better. Sometime.
I started my fall/winter 2010-2011 syrah and miscellaneous reds sampling this week.
First off was a 2006 Snoqualmie syrah from the Columbia Valley in Washington State.
The label claims notes of blackberry, cherry, spice, and 'a touch of oak'. On first tasting, I got a strong molasses note. I love molasses, so I liked it out of the gate (or bottle). I think I also got a black cherry note, which I guess is a cross between their blackberry and cherry.
Ultimately, however, I wasn't all that keen on this wine. It was a tad sweet for me, and I didn't finish the bottle. Maybe a little stronger tannin kick would have helped my appreciation of it. I didn't write down how much I paid for it, but it was in the $10 range.
I'm also working my way through chiantis this fall and winter. My first one was a 2002 Terrabianca Scassino made with 97% sangiovese grapes and 3% canaiolo (which, honestly, I've never heard of).
This was a $29 wine on sale for $18, and even $18 was too much for it. There was discoloration of the cork, so I think the wine might have gone a tad bad. It showed no character and was just a step up from red wine vinegar. I drank a couple glasses of it, but it was definitely problematic. It could have been used in cooking, but $18 (let alone $29) is a lot to pay for a cooking wine.