Four syrahs at Bill Spohn's:
2000 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah Franschhoek Valley, So Africa
Rich, warm garnet color with a great old world nose of bing cherry, leather and smoke. On the palate, roast ham and red-dirt earthy. Long finish, drinking perfectly right now.
2004 Finca Sandoval Syrah, Spain
Tasted blind. Black fruit, mint and chocolate dominate, but some tarry notes are here, too. Sweet on the palate and structured--at first I thought it likelier to be cabernet than syrah.
2013 Le Vieux Pin Syrah Cuvée Violette Okanagan Valley
Green olives and violets dominate light raspberry fruit in this Crozes-Hermitage style wine. We popped and poured; showed quite a bit of salinity at first and had a sour cream kind of lactic top note that I didn't expect based on experience with the wine last year; interesting evolution.
1996 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper
Velveteen and understated for Aussie shiraz, lovely for its age with notes of vanilla amid the berries.