Tried this last night after the4 two natural wines. Didn't save the evening, but it helped:
1. WindGap Syrah SonomaCoast (12.3%; 380 cs; #2694) PaxMahle/Forestville 2010: Very dark color w/ some bricking; strong cold-climate/black pepper/Syrah some blackberry/spicy quite smokey/smoked meats/very Rhonish/whole-cluster some toasty/oak quite complex nose; quite tart/angular/bit metallic bit drying out/tannic strong smoked meats/Rhonish some c-c/black pepper some toasty/Fr.oak flavor w/ astringent/drying tannins; very long strong Rhonish/smoked meats c-c/blackpepper slight blackberry/Syrah finish w/ drying/astringent tannins; lots of lovely c-c/w-c/Rhonish character but pretty dried out on the palate.
__________________
A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. I was expecting more of this Syrah. Had some really good things in it but pretty gone on the palate. Fortunatly, the Ronchi di Pietri Schioppettino save the evening. That & the company.
Tom