"That was the year I said, 'I'm confident in what I'm doing, I've got our vineyards figured out, and I'm going to make the style I want to make.'."

— Greg Harrington of Gramercy Cellars on his 2008 Syrah

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Syrah and Rhone

It was fashionable this year to talk about how much of a pariah Syrah has become. And in a way, it's true that Syrah has become the Great Missed Opportunity for American wine.

It's also often true that too much American Syrah has become overpowering, overoaked and overwhelming. But there are spectacular Syrahs worth seeking out, and if it's not likely to be the next big hit, its finest practitioners have never been making better wines.

At the same time, there's more potential than ever in the other corners of the red Rhone lineup - Grenache- and Mourvedre-based wines that show true depth and character without over-the-top alcohol levels (the cooler 2008 vintage helped). These are distinctive, rewarding wines.

2008 Gramercy Cellars Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($45):
Master sommelier Greg Harrington is establishing himself as a major star in Washington state with stupendous wines like this one. A gorgeously elusive scent, something like pepper cookies. Refined aromas of white pepper and mace, a savory mouthful of bright blackberry fruit and a velvety texture add up to a stellar effort.

2008 Amavi Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($28):
Pepper Bridge winemaker Jean-Francois Pellet's own label is a top value from the Northwest. His fruit hails from three great Walla Walla sites - Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and Les Collines - and yields a masterful take on Syrah: a salty, bright mouthful of bramble fruit, balanced with sweet game meat and tar.

2009 Broc Cellars Naturale Alexander Valley Carignan ($20):
Chris Brockway made this Carignane in the same whole-berry method used for much Beaujolais, and that wine's fruity, immediate pleasures are a good reference point. Full of sweetly juicy blueberry and huckleberry, a hint of orange-zest freshness and mineral bite, it's a table wine in the best way - easygoing and ready to please.

2007 Caliza Azimuth Paso Robles Red Wine ($45):
A fantastic expression of the robust Paso style, with bright Grenache fruit and spicy Syrah in good balance, with a slight sweetness offset by lots of brine and allspice, and a bright, juicy finish that also reveals the darker Mourvedre undertones.

2008 David Girard El Dorado Grenache ($22):
What's great about this Placerville winery is that it treats Grenache like Grenache: keeping it rubyish and bright, with aging in neutral barrels, so that its clear fruit flavors shine. Strawberry and raspberry flavors get mace accents, and the mouthwatering profile reminds you that purity, not oak, should define this grape.

2008 Donkey & Goat Four Thirteen El Dorado Red Wine ($32):
Jared and Tracey Brandt's take on a traditional Chateauneuf blend (with Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Counoise) from three Sierra foothills sites shows tremendous energy and depth. Bright strawberry fruit accented by balsam, sweet pepper and wild garrigue, completed by a darker mineral note.

2008 Landmark Steel Plow Kivelstadt Family Vineyard Sonoma Valley Syrah ($30):
Kenwood's Landmark is making a terrific case that Sonoma Valley is Rhone-style territory. Their bottling from the 10-acre Kivelstadt parcel on Bennett Valley Road mixes a subtle side - the violet-tinged nose of white pepper, deep blackberry and mace - with a big knot of tannin and deep plummy fruit. Serious Syrah that's built to last.

2007 Qupé Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Syrah ($30):
Bob Lindquist's benchmark Syrah from this Santa Barbara County site is in gorgeous shape. Dark and earthy, with brawny peppercorn spice, dusky plum and fine, delicious tannins. It's equally rewarding whether you drink it now or age it.

2007 Saxon Brown Parmelee-Hill Camp Block Sonoma Coast Syrah ($34):
Jeff Gaffner makes this unapologetically stylish Syrah from a parcel owned by Durell vineyard manager Steve Hill. Meaty and still showing its oak, it thrives on juicy bramble fruit and a broad carpet of tannin, edged with olive and cocoa accents.

2008 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel Paso Robles Red Wine ($50):
A leaner vintage has made Tablas' Mourvedre-dominant Esprit (with Grenache, Syrah and Counoise for the rest) a more aromatic, nuanced thing. Dried sage and oregano, a bright mineral component, fresh blueberry and baked raspberry, with a leathery profile to the young, ripe tannins.

2007 Three Saints Santa Ynez Valley Syrah ($18):
Winemaker Nick de Luca delivered a ton of nuance in this affordable bottle from Star Lane's second label. Thirty percent of the wine was aged in steel, providing a welcome freshness, amid a gorgeous nose of milled pepper, anise and black currant.  

• Intro
• Sparkling
• Whites: Chardonnay | Sauvignon Blanc | Other Whites & Rosé
• Reds: Pinot Noir | Syrah and Rhone | Cabernet and Merlot | Zinfandel and other reds
• The top vintners not at top dollar

• Pairings intro
• Recipes:

  - Creamy, Delicately Spiced Pasta With Butternut Squash & Fried Capers
  - Achiote-Marinated Salmon Tacos
  - Farro, Chestnut & Persimmon Bites
  - Adobo-Style Riblets