2018 Forgeron Syrah

Well, you can practically sense the weekend is almost here so an ideal time for a little wine and outdoor cooking!  I've taken to going on bike rides in the evening, particularly when the heat isn't extreme and tonight when I returned home I noticed that the two cardinals that built a nest in the holly bush on my back deck were in total freakout mode.  Turns out the neighbor cat decided to do some exploring a little to close to the nest and the two little ones leading to the ruckus.  But now that things have calmed down, how about some wine!  Tonight I've opened a recent wine club selection from Forgeron Cellars, the 2018 Forgeron Syrah from the Boushey Vineyard in the Yalima Valley of Washington.  This wine is their first ever Syrah (94%) co-fermented with Viognier (6%), so let's see how this wine tastes. 

The wine is a deep, inky black at the center, with bright ruby along the edges, almost Cabernet like in color.  The nose is reminiscent of a côte rôtie, with strong floral notes at the nose, intermingled with ripe black fruit and earthy notes of tar and peat.  The taste is a rush of black cherry, plum and fig which transitions nicely to tobacco and black pepper spice midpalate.  The chewy tannins are a strong base for the long, smooth and very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a really different expression of Syrah that I find enticing.  This wine would pair well with a variety of earthy dishes, from lamb chops to mushroom risotto, but would also do well with a variety of summer favorites cooked outdoors.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic grilled cheeseburger served on a pretzel bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onion and pickles served with some sweet potato fries.  Cheers!