This Syrah comes from a small appellation in Cornas, which is located in the southern most part of the Northern Rhône.  It is where Syrah was born and where it strives to express its greatness amongst the steep sloped landscape of junipers and oak trees.  Colombo, known as “the winemaking wizard” of the Rhône, achieves international recognition for making wines with  appealing personality but is also  known for being somewhat of a Rhône outcast since he relies on modern techniques in a traditional wine region.  Dedicated to the Syrah grape, he was certain that the northern Rhône of Cornas offered immense potential for producing stellar quality Syrah, and the 2009 vintage proves just that. Ripe and chewy, it is a superb Syrah with a good dose of plum and blackberry notes, leading to a long, enticing tobacco and pepper finish. It will be at its prime in a year or so, cellaring gracefully for another ten years.

Syrah has a personality that makes it relatively easy to pair with bold flavored meats—anything from lamb to barbeque. Find something uniquely bold to complement the peppery and ripe characteristics of this wine and you’ll have a magnificent match.

Rating: Excellent (95) | $84 | 13.8% ABV

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