Syrah

A vertical tasting with friends – my first! Happened to end up with a range of these Crozes-Hermitages, starting with the 1995 (above label, …

Dark red colour but with brick-reddish tinge (over-quick ageing?). Coal-smoke licked aromas of dark fruit – damson or black cherry. Quite tannic but generally …

Not as good as the 1999, due to a slightly light body (slightly too acidic) but nevertheless a very nice syrah! Initially ‘closed’ on …

My parents randomly had a bottle of the 1998 vintage of the Montirius Gigondas, so we did a “vertical” test against the 2000 (see …

Spicy red pepper and dark fruit aromas with some leathery notes, or maybe it was tobacco… not too sure, as I got quite drunk …

A Châteauonline recommendation. I agree. Very smooth and easy-drinking wine, but complex, balanced and with some shelf-life. Very deep red with hints of purple …

I stuck this label in securely intending to write it up when I drank the 2nd bottle (having left it too long before writing …

What a bargain! The Guide Hachette gives this 2* status. Understandable. Slightly purple end of ruby colour, but the most notable thing for me …

Another very nice wine from Chapoutier.

…by contrast, this was outstanding. I was worried by the price tag. Shouldn’t have been! Oddbins’ recommendation was good. The outstanding aspect was the …