SYRAH: UNITED STATES

+MUST TRY+
Klinker Brick Farrah Syrah (by Klinker Brick Winery)
United States of America: Lodi, California
Syrah (red)
2004
Est 18.00
89+
Tried this very interesting wine for the first time at Basil Leaf Cafe in Chicago, where it's available by the glass for $7.00. Nick, the bartender one Saturday evening when Dana, Joanna and I stopped in, offered me some as a tasting, along with his recommendation. What a fascinating little wine! Combines a plum color with the body of a lighter red (perhaps a Pinot Noir) and the taste of a solid Spanish Tempranillo, with lots of tobacco and spice--plus a smoky finish (maybe the French Oak cooperage). An awfully complex wine for $7.00 a glass, especially in Lincoln Park. I plan to keep a bottle on hand for times when I crave these wonderful flavors, but am not in the mood for--or, based on our food, not in need of--a heavier, fuller-bodied wine. There are two things that keep this wine, for me, from achieving the 9o point rating: first, I generally prefer full-bodied reds, and second, the finish to this wine, while pleasing, isn't long enough in my judgment to warrant the 90 or higher rating. Still, a very nice wine!