February is always a wild ride for us here on “planet earth” because of three milestone “events” that bless us each and every year:
Punxsutawny Phil uses his beady little eyes to determine with but a simple glance whether or not winter will “continue” (GUESS WHAT? IT WILL!!)
Cupid fires his beady little bow at “lovers” across the globe
And most importantly, we celebrate International Syrah day, which literally the entire planet honored on February 16th, drowning their beady little Winter sorrows in the “purple glog” from this underappreciated, docile and extremely humble grape.
We’ve written about this variety several times in the past, both in broad terms, and specifically about the northern Rhone, and its punchy “Shiraz” counterpart from Australia #benicetothekangaroos. That’s why this week, we’ve decided to focus on a Syrah producing region that often flies a bit under the radar for the level of quality you can find there: California.
Wines made from Syrah in California range in price from just a few measly bones to premium examples pushing $100 or more. We’ve touched on both ends of the spectrum here today, and we’re simply jumping out of our jimmies to give you our two cents. But first, a little “background” on the region in question…
The "modern era" of California Syrah began to take shape in the 1970s, largely influenced by the “pioneering” "Rhône Rangers," a group of winemakers who popularized Rhône Valley grapes like Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre in California. Gary Eberle, often referred to as the "Godfather of Paso Robles," played a pivotal role in this movement.
In 1975, Eberle planted Syrah at Estrella River Winery in Paso Robles, introducing the Estrella Clone, which has since become a cornerstone of U.S. Syrah plantings, with some notable exceptions. The Estrella clone is known for its rich, concentrated fruit quality and has been widely adopted across California. This 1970s marked the beginning of a new chapter for Syrah in California, as winemakers began to explore its potential in various climates and regions, from the cooler Monterey County to the warmer Paso Robles. The so-called “Rhone Rangers”, including notable figures like Randall Graham and Bob Lindquist, further propelled the popularity of Syrah and other Rhône varieties in the 1980s, contributing to a significant increase in plantings throughout the humble “Golden State.”
Extremely low rent map of California wine regions
California Syrah wines are known for their diverse styles, ranging from rich and powerful (UNLIKE ME!) — more common in warmer regions like Napa Valley or Paso Robles — to spicy and lean — more common in cooler regions like Sonoma Coast or Central Coast.
Well-made California Syrah can offer a rich and complex flavor profile with dark fruits, spices like black pepper and clove, savory notes of olive and smoke, and floral hints of violet and lavender. In some cases (typically more premium examples) there are also gamey notes that ring of the esteemed Syrah wines produced in the northern Rhône.
Syrah is grown throughout California, with several regions producing notable expressions. San Luis Obispo County leads in acreage, followed by Sonoma County, which has approximately 1,400 acres under vine. Other significant areas include Santa Barbara County, Monterey County, and Napa Valley. Cooler climate regions like the Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap, and Santa Maria Valley produce Syrahs with bright acidity and peppery notes, while warmer areas like Bennett Valley and “Happy Canyon” (THE HAPPY KIND!) offer riper, more opulent styles.
AN UNDERAPPRECIATED VARIETY IN CA
California Syrah's underrepresentation in wine shops and supermarkets stems from a complex interplay of factors that have shaped its market position over the past few decades. The grape experienced a planting boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s, leading to overproduction and a flood of inconsistent quality wines that damaged its reputation. Unlike more established varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel, Syrah struggled to develop a clear California “identity,” if you will, with its adaptability across various regions resulting in a wide array of styles that often confused consumers.
Competition from other grape varieties, particularly Pinot Noir following the release of the film "Sideways," further challenged Syrah's market position. Price point issues and stylistic confusion with cheap over the top “jammy” styles of Australian Shiraz further contributed to Syrah's little “identity crisis.” Consequently, California Syrah acreage has declined by about 20% in recent years as growers shift towards more mainstream California varieties. Despite these challenges, there are signs of a potential comeback (LIKE MY FOOTBALL CAREER), with a renewed focus on quality and growing appreciation among wine enthusiasts, though Syrah remains less visible in mainstream retail compared to California's more established varieties.
As you’ll see below, the premium quality comes at a super high price point, which rules it out as an everyday (or for many people even an ever-at-all) wine. What we need is more plantings statewide so that we can start getting better Syrah at lower price points. The potential for quality is absolutely proven here, it’s largely just a matter of supply and demand.
Needless to say, one of these days we’ll organize an angry protest that will inevitably force the scales of the economy to tip wildly in our favor — but for now, we have no choice but to weep into our flimsy little wallets after every post brings us one dollar closer to the end (but it’s worth it, because we love you).
So without further ado, let’s dive into the juice…
Profile: Ripe black and blue fruit (blackberry, blueberry, plum), chocolate, clove, hint of black olive Palate: Dry-off dry, full body, medium tannin, medium acid, long finish
$20 for any decently well-made California red can feel like a bargain when you’ve trawled the oceans of plonk for as long as we have, and this is no exception. I’ve had McPrice Myers wines before and they were really good quality, but none were at this price point (the wines I tasted were slightly more premium at the tasting room in Paso), so given the vast price difference, I can honestly say my expectations were pretty low, but this wine surprised me.
It’s big and bold, starring super ripe black fruit, some oak spice and a hint of olive tapenade. Persistent finish. It didn’t have a lot of complexity, but it wasn’t totally one note, and while the heat on this (14.9% abv) did throw the balance off slightly, the power and structure helped reel it in a little. The wine has a bit more residual sugar than I want in a red (I’ll take roughly none, please) — I couldn’t find the tech sheet for the 2022, but the 2023 shows the residual sugar at 0.80, which is beginning to teeter into off dry territory. That said, by no means did it ruin the experience and for some palates (UNLIKE MINE), that might be a bonus.
If you like rich and bold wines and you are yet to taste California Syrah, this is a decent way to do it on a budget.
Profile: Blueberry syrup, mixed berry jam, concord grape jelly, vanilla, licorice, mixed spice, mocha Palate: Dry to off dry, full body, medium- acid, medium tannin, medium finish
We previously tasted the Michael David Petite Petit with “good things” to say about it, and thought that the Syrah might also deliver a “good value,” but unfortunately this one misses the mark. This wine veers right into the off dry territory along with an overtly jammy and somewhat manufactured fruit profile, vanilla and a little bit of poorly integrated “oak spice.” My “6th sense” should have known better.
Profile: Baked blueberry, ripe blackberry, violet, black pepper, bacon fat, dreams (realized), cinnamon, vanilla, yeast, petrichor, lavender, pen ink, orange peel, graphite Palate: Dry, medium+ acid, high tannin, full body, long finish
From Kamen winery, owned by the writer behind Karate Kid and the Taken series. This was an incredibly concentrated and rich wine, with a super long finish. At 15.5% abv, one of the only real noticeable detractors from balance is the heat, but even still it is well integrated and the concentration of flavor and structure help to “soften the blow.”
Revisited this for the first time since we tasted it after our Sonoma trip and - SURPRISE - it’s still an absolute banger. We mentioned it last time, but this wine really rings of Hermitage (fitting, as according to Robert Kamen’s little legend, it’s made from the same clones), and even with all of the complexity presently there, I find myself wishing I’d held on to this bottle for a few more years (or decades) to see what kind of transformation a little touch of “father time” would induce. Alas, they’re out of stock at Kamen so if you’re able to track one down, slap down your wallet, close your eyes, and buy the thing.
Profile: Blackberry, black plum, blueberry, fig, wet stone, black olive, black pepper, clove, dried violets, charcoal, leather, vanilla, dark chocolate, tobacco Palate: Dry, full body, medium acid, medium+ tannin, long finish
This wine showcases the exceptional qualities that are “possible” in California Syrah with nearly a decade of bottle age. This opulent, densely concentrated wine made from a blend of predominantly Syrah (90%) with a touch of Petite Sirah (10%) and aged in 100% new French oak. This is an extremely dark, rich and mouthcoating wine with great tannic structure and a complex flavor profile dominated by intense black and blue fruits (THE GOOD KIND!), stony minerality, and classic Syrah notes of black olive and black pepper, with subtle tertiary notes of tobacco and leather starting to make their appearance from the 9 years of initial “aging” with more “good years” of development ahead. Despite the extreme concentration and obnoxious 15.8% ABV, this wine manages to maintain great balance and structure with no discernible heat.
At the end of the day, California Syrah is just like the rest of us—searching for meaning, battling an identity crisis, and occasionally misunderstood by the masses. But for those who take the time to appreciate it, there’s depth, character, and a whole lot of personality.
So go forth, drink boldly, and remember: the world is confusing, but good Syrah is forever™.
