30 Days of Local Wine – Day Four: Mastronardi Estate Winery, 2007 Syrah (VQA)

This Syrah from Mastronardi Estate Winery has a bright bouquet of sweet tobacco with hints of green pepper. Rich flavours of ripe berries, graced with well structured tannins, are delightful on the palate.

This wine is a great match with ripe cheeses, grilled earthy vegetables and grilled chicken or pork.

Nobody really knows why Syrah/Shiraz has two names that refers to one varietal. The best thing to understand is when the name is used. Syrah is the old-world name, and it’s used when referring to wines either from France’s Rhône Valley or wines made in that style, like those from Ontario. Shiraz is the “new-world” name, and it’s given mainly to wines made in a modern style, like those from Australia.

This is what Gary Killops of Essex Wine Review has to say about the Mastronardi ’07 Syrah on his site:

“This is a excellent syrah selling at a fantastic price. I really don’t think you will find a better local syrah at this price.

Let’s walk through a tasting of this wine. Open a bottle, pour a glass and follow along.

Take your time and enjoy this wine’s bouquet. It has so many wonderful things going on. Notes of plums, earth, tobacco and leather make this an excellent sniffer.

While your at it, swirl the wine in your glass and notice how this wine seems to just hang to the side of the glass. This is called a wine’s tears or legs. Excellent wine tears on this wine.

If you have been able to resist temptation go ahead and taste this wine now. Just incredible isn’t it?

A wonderful balance that echoes the nose. Starts with some plums, followed by the tobacco, leather and green peppers integrated with some tannins and followed by a nice smooth finish.

Priced at $15 this one should fly off the shelf. I don’t do this too often, but just ordered a case of this wine.”

Related posts:

1. 30 Days of Local Wine – Day Sixteen: Mastronardi Estate Winery, 2007 Cabernet Franc (VQA)
2. 30 Days of Local Wine – Day Twenty Eight: Mastronardi Estate Winery, 2007 Merlot (VQA)
3. 30 Days of Local Wine – Day Twenty Two: Mastronardi Estate Winery, a’Dorah (VQA)
4. 30 Days of Local Wine – Day Three: Aleksander Estate Winery, 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay (VQA)
5. 30 Days of Local Wine – Day Twenty One: Aleksander Estate Winery, 2007 Shiraz (VQA)