Today's selection from Clos La Chance, a Syrah, is part of their Hummingbird series. This 2005 wine is 77% Syrah with the remainder being made up of Grenache, Mouvedre, Carignane and Petite Sirah. 24% of the wine spent 16 months in a combination of new, French and American oak. The total production on this wine was 4,700 cases and it's suggested retail price is $18.
The Black-Chinned Syrah has a nose of mulled spices and berries. The first sip out of the glass reveals a host of blueberry notes. the mid-palate has some earthiness and a hint of bacon fat that carries through to the finish which also features some pepper and vanilla notes. This wine will go well with grilled meats but also drinks nicely on it's own. 
This is a medium bodied wine with good acidity that's also fairly smooth and easy drinking. It brings to mind wines of the Northern Rhone more than the average California Syrah. Part of that is likely due to the 12% Grenache which lends a nice balance to this wine.
Much like their numerous wine tiers, Clos La Chance's wine club is full of options to those interested. If you happen to lean towards one of their wine tiers more than another, there's likely a club option for you. I'm told that they take the wants and needs of their members very seriously and do whatever they can to accommodate them. Much more detailed information including specific discounts and benefits afforded for each level are available on the Wine Club portion of their website.
Coming Tomorrow: Clos La Chance 2004 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
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