Happy Saturday! It's the first Saturday of October, which means it's Cellar Saturday, that wonderful opportunity to raid the cellar for a wine at least a decade in the making. Tonight I've opened another wine that's aged but hasn't been in my cellar very long, as I picked it up on my Walla Walla adventure back in July. The 2009 Syxygy Saros 136 is a fascinating blend of Tempranillo (59%), Malbec (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (6%) from the Columbia Valley AVA of Washington. So, let's see what this interesting blend has to offer!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, no doubt a credit to the Malbec and Cabernet in the blend, but also has some bright clarity as the Tempranillo provides some balance. A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of black cherry, overripened plum, spicy pepper notes and some earthy minerality. Take a sip and you get a rush of cherry cola, blackberry and plum that transitions easily to some earthy notes of peat and dusty limestone, balanced with some spicy pepper notes midpalate. The tannins are supple and well integrated, providing for an exceptionally smooth, dry finish.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking very nicely now, but likely will peak in just a few years. With a heavy Termpranillo hand, this wine would pair well with some old world paella, new world Cajun dirty rice, or just some nice fresh grilled meat and vegetables. The latter is what I'm enjoying this wine with tonight, a rare grilled New York strip, some oven roasted white sweet potatoes, grilled leeks and peppers and steamed asparagus with Hollandaise. Cheers!
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