Wine of the Week: Gilbert 2006 Syrah

According to the GIlberts: Our 2006 vintage Syrah is a super-saturated, hedonistic red wine with blueberry and dark plum fruit while cinnamon, black tea and bacon accompany loamy tannins that linger on the tongue. Performs gorgeously with grilled cuisine. Drink now through 2018. 89 points and “Best Buy” from Wine & Spirits.

This syrah was very well balanced and went perfectly with some beef off the grill and risotto.  At $26, its less than a lot of the small production wines, but you still get the same high quality.

Very classy label/bottle as well.

a. Anheiser Busch is to St Louis

b. E&J Gallo is to California

c. Opus One is to Napa

d. Jack Daniels is to Tennessee

e. Antinori is to Chianti

Leonetti is the name of all Washington wines that is most closely associated with the industry to which it belongs. They continually produce quality wines that have a very high demand.  Most of their wines are only available via a mailing list.  I’ll go ahead and say that their 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon was the best wine I’ve ever had, but we’re talking about the Merlot tonight.  Leonetti produced nearly 3,000 cases of this vintage Merlot, and it’s listed at a $60 retail.

What I thought: Smokey and hot with some nice fruit, this is a really good Merlot that didn’t give me that soft mouth feel that I seem to find in so many Merlots.

According to Leonetti: The wines nose consists of bright floral aromatics, elderberry, red and black crème fruits and spicy yet subdued notes of balsam, pencil shavings, and pine. The palate is broad and fat with a soft, long, yet lively finish that brings back merlot lovers to this wine again and again.

Back to the question. I’d say that someone could make an argument for f. all of the above, but the best answer is c.

Tonight, I enjoyed this Syrah from Willis Hall. 

I met John Bell, the owner and winemaker, at the Washington Wine Highway last spring, and enjoyed chatting with him.  He comes from a wine hobby background, having worked at Boeing, and gotten into wine through their Wine and Beermaking club.  2003 was their first commercial vintage and by the tastes of the 2004 syrah, John is making some good wines.

Willis Hall is named after two of John’s most influetial relatives, taking their middle names to form his brand.

This syrah is deep dark garnet color, spicy, and a bit heavy.