Happy Sunday! It's been another weekend of non-spring weather, with rain an highs in the 40s, and it looks like the next four days will be between 30 and 45, so I guess the "Summer of George" will have to wait a few weeks. I just finished a virtual tasting with the fine folks from Reininger, focusing on their white and rose wines, and since I didn't have any of those on hand, I decided to open a bottle of their red wine for dinner. The 2016 Reininger Syrah XM is another interesting wine from Chuck Reininger, one of the most creative winemakers I know. This wine is an "XM" which stands for extended maturation, so he reserves some of his wine (in this case the 2016 Walla Walla Syrah) and let's it age in barrel for a few extra years and releases it under the XM moniker. This wine is a 100% Syrah from the Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. So, let's see what this new, old wine has to offer!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass that has the look of a hearty Cabernet as opposed to a Syrah. A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas that bring you right back to the barrel room, with leather, toasted oak, blackberry and cassis dancing in your mind. Take a sip and you're greeted with one of the most velvety smooth Syrahs you can imagine, a rush of blackberry, cherry and currant envelop your palate with a thick almost syrupy mouthfeel that just makes your mind explode. The fruit is encased in earthy elements, oak, peat and basalt that evolve to some twang midpalate. The tannins are almost perfectly integrated, providing for that velvety smoothness to extend to the long, dry finish that will have you begging for more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9.5, as it has to be one of the most perfect examples of Syrah I've ever tasted. This wine would pair well with a variety of hearty dishes, from steaks and lamb, to heaty pastas or stews. Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a Sunday barbecue dinner (oh how I long for summer!), of barbecued beef baby back ribs, grilled corn on the cob, mustard baked beans and sriracha slaw. Cheers!
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