Tasting - "Miriam Syrah"

Name: Miriam California Syrah 2020

Variety: Syrah

Region: California

Country: United States

Year: 2020

Price: $23.99 (I got it discounted)

Winery review (from Naked Wines): This lively, bright Syrah is a fresh set of ripe red and black berry flavors balanced with a light touch of oak and a soft, easy-drinking finish that rounds out every sip. ... This Syrah’s vibrant fruity flavors and touch of oaky spice make the pairing combinations endless! Take Alex’s word for it: “You won't find a dish this wine doesn’t pair well with.”

Wine Folly: from pp. 172-173 (Syrah): A rich, powerful, and sometimes meaty red wine that originated in the Rhone Valley of France. Full-bodied, high in alcohol, acidity, and tannins; very dry. Flavors include blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, and green peppercorn.

My review: I had this wine with an Italian dinner called Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter's chicken) - chicken and mushrooms in a tomato-based sauce, over linguine (one of my favorite dinners to make). I used the wine in the dish itself as well as drinking it. Theoretically, white wine was called for and might traditionally pair with lighter meat like chicken, but I don't buy white wine so I decided to just make it with this Syrah. The sauce was delightful - the winey flavor was evident but not overpowering, and it paired beautifully with the spices included (thyme, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, salt, pepper). I also found it complemented the mushrooms well, though perhaps this is because I love mushrooms generally.

Drinking the wine was likewise enjoyable. It wasn't anything fantastic to my palate, but it went well with the food - this is certainly a wine I would (and do) drink with dinner rather than on its own. I enjoyed its smoothness in my mouth, and that it saved its acidic bite more so for the stomach. It had a boldness to its body, and I enjoyed "chewing" it, letting it coat my mouth and so bring out more sensation and flavor. The flavors were dark, perhaps tannic, and I couldn't pick out much. Certainly it leaned toward the tobacco/pepper listed in Wine Folly more than the fruity. As with many wines, I could not easily overlook the isopropyl alcohol taste resemblance. Perhaps because it isn't especially high quality, or perhaps because I am not yet sufficiently familiar with alcoholic drinks, this often comes up when I taste any sort of wine or liquor. Nevertheless, I have been having a glass of this Syrah with dinner the past few nights, and find it easy to drink and enjoy.