To wrap up my fall-winter syrahs and chiantis, I tried a shiraz-viognier blend from Australia (which ran me about $20) and a classic Ruffino chianti (about $14).
The syrah [properly shiraz] is a 2007 Black Chook from Australia. This is a 95-5 shiraz-viognier blend, made by Ben Riggs in South Australia and aged in French Oak.
I found this a little sweeter than other syrahs/shirazes, maybe because of the viognier?, but less tannic (if that's a word) than most of them I've tried.
This isn't a bad wine, although I didn't find its flavors terribly subtle or distinguished. But after spending $20 for it, I felt obliged to finish the bottle.
I read somewhere that Ruffinos are the archetypal chiantis, so I figured I should try one. This 2007 Chianti Classico was a good one to wrap up with because it was one of the few that I didn't find flat and rather tasteless. I didn't find it full of subtle flavors, my complaint with almost all the chiantis I tried, but it was drinkable, which some bottles weren't.
To sum up my winter drinking: my favorite syrahs/shirazes were the subtle and flavorful 2003 Marques de Grinon syrah from Spain and the very smoky 2004 Sincerely shiraz from South Africa. A lot of the syrahs were just too sharp for my tastebuds.
My favorite chiantis were the very inexpensive Candoni chianti and the much more expensive ($30) Querceto from my last posting, although this Ruffino was almost as good as the Querceto at half the price.
My favorite chiantis were the very inexpensive Candoni chianti and the much more expensive ($30) Querceto from my last posting, although this Ruffino was almost as good as the Querceto at half the price.