ABERRO Syrah Le Mani Vineyard Oregon

Oregon and Syrah? At first, I was as surprised as you are, because Oregon is primarily known for its great Pinot Noir. But when I think about it, Syrah makes perfect sense in Oregon, because I've often found the Pinots a little too broad in recent years. What's special is that these vines are direct carriers, meaning that the Syrah (Phelps and Tablas Creek are the genetic material suppliers) was not grafted onto a carrier vine. This wine confirms once again that it's worth taking the risk and foregoing a carrier vine – which protects against phylloxera and other pests – because the wine is simply incredibly profound. Approximately 15% of the grapes were not destemmed and the wine was aged in oak barriques, of which a maximum of 20% were new. Its bouquet is diverse, ranging from a devilishly seductive blackberry aroma to freshly ground black Tellicherry pepper, lavender notes and a hint of black olive tapenade. The wine fills the palate powerfully, revealing a fabulous texture – the tannins are present but of unquestionably high quality – and finishes juicy, salty, simply brilliant. This is a Syrah like I have not often encountered in the US and has definite parallels to the Old World. I would definitely recommend these wines to anyone who appreciates Syrah.