WTN: 2006 Sequel Syrah, Columbia Valley, WA

Long Shadows Wineries. John Duval, formerly with Penfold's Grange. 14.7% abv. Darkly colored. Dark fruits dominate the nose. Drinks smoothly with fine-grained "sandy" texture, probably from the tannins, and dark berry flavor. It also shows a bit of subtly leafy or herbal notes. Ripe fruit but not overblown and not presenting as "hot" despite the rather high alcoholic content. There is delicious, lip-smacking fruit in the midpalate and the finish is a bit drying but not off-putting. There is also some fine sediment in the glass. It was very enjoyable with beef stew. This is perhaps more Australian than French in style, but personally I like that the tannins are muted, not forbidding, and I am willing to forego some of the pepper and bacon or smoked meat (although I like those qualities in Syrah) in exchange for the attractive black fruits. This was my first wine from the Long Shadows Wineries project. I tried to order some of the Poet's Leap Riesling at the same time as I ordered this, but it was sold out.

[Jenise]

Haven't had the 06, JC, but can related based on the 03, 04 and 05's I've had. Definitely an "Australian style" isn't it? Don't know what the trick is to making Washington grapes taste like they're from the McClaren Vale, but they do manage it with this wine. (Confuses me in that it subverts, IMO, the whole Long Shadows mission as I understood it to be, but they haven't asked for my opinion.)

If they were really smart, they would ask your opinion. Have you had any vintages of the Poet's Leap Riesling? If so, what did you think of them?

[Jenise]

If they were really smart, they would ask your opinion. Have you had any vintages of the Poet's Leap Riesling? If so, what did you think of them?

Yes, I have, and I quite like them. They're very elegant wines that bear little resemblance to reisling as I know it from Germany. For starters, they're very dry, Kabinett dry, with subtler flavors that underscore the richness (some of which probably comes from oak, though they are not oaky wines). That's about the best I can come up with at this point, it's been a few years since I had one. My favorite in the Long Shadows group is the Pirouette.

Thanks, Jenise. I think I am done purchasing until the new year but will try to seek out the Riesling and the Pirouette sometime in 2014.