For quite a number of years I’ve been fond of the Michael David Wines. When I see their labels or think of their offerings I’m reminded of wines that tend to be big, bold and widely available. The price points for the wines also tend to be reasonable. Today I’m going to look at their current release of Syrah.

The Michael David 2007 6^th Sense Syrah was produced using Lodi fruit. In addition to Syrah, some Petite Sirah is also blended in. Barrel aging was accomplished over 20 months in French oak. The suggested retail price for this selection is $16.

The 2007 vintage of 6^th Sense Syrah opens with Black Mission Fig aromas, along with hints of leather, and wisps of vanilla. The palate is loaded with plum, blueberry, and a host of other dark, fleshy fruit notes. Chocolate, espresso, and burnt sugar characteristics mark the smooth, lingering finish of this Syrah. This wine has soft tannins and sufficient acidity.

This wine has been consistent from vintage to vintage. If anything I found the 2007 to be ever so slightly more restrained than recent vintages. It has better balance and a bit more structure to boot. Overall though, if you have liked this in the past you’re more than likely going to enjoy it now. If you’ve never had 6^th Sense Syrah, it’s modest price point and wide availability make it a safe bet to reach for the next time you’re hosting or attending an event with wine lovers of all stripes. This wine is both a good value and an excellent example of Lodi fruit.

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Today I’ll look at the third wine in a row from Michael David. The majority of the wines they make are produced from Lodi fruit. They’re clearly proud of their Lodi heritage, brandishing their appellation on their front or back labels. And it seems like a mutually beneficial situation. The wide availability of their wines has likely made many more people aware of their region than would have known about it otherwise. By and large their offerings are also excellent examples of the bold and sumptuous wines that Lodi fruit often produces. Today I’ll look at one of their Syrahs.

The 2006 Sixth Sense Syrah has small amounts of Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. The name of this wine comes from a nickname for the Phillips Grandpa Don. He’s known to have a knack for predicting certain things; This Syrah was aged in French oak for 18 months. The suggested retail price is $17.

Plum, blackberry and kirsch liqueur notes are prominent in the demonstrative nose of this wine. The palate is laden with rich, opulent ripe fruit flavors. While other berry notes are apparent, cherry is the star of the show. Imagine fresh cherry pie with a chocolate graham cracker crust, that’s what the middle of this wine reminds me of. Black pepper plays a role but doesn’t fully emerge until the finish which also shows earth and a touch of bramble.

What I like most about this wine is what strikes me about the Michael David Wines in general. That is, it’s an unabashed expression of big fruit and lavish flavors; still and all though these wines are not over the top. Not every big and boisterous wine is a good one. This Syrah from Michael David is an example of one that is.

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The number of noteworthy wines emerging from or made from fruit sourced in Mendocino has been rising. The cooler climate there, relative to large portions of other parts of California really lends itself to certain varietals and styles. The second wine I’m looking at from Lionheart Wines is a Mendocino sourced Syrah.

The Lionheart Wines 2005 Syrah was sourced at the Eaglepoint Ranch in Mendocino. This offering is 95% Syrah and the balance Grenache. A tiny 25 cases of this wine were produced and it sells for $35.

Candied plum and leather notes fill the nose of this Syrah. The palate is loaded with rich, dark berry fruit flavors. Alongside those, black pepper, licorice, anise and a touch of bacon fat make their presence known as the layers of this wine emerge. Chocolate covered cherry characteristics come out towards the back of the wine and lead to finish that is filled with earth, blackberry, vanilla, white pepper, allspice and residual bacon fat notes.

What I like best about this wine is that it reminds me more of an old world Rhone style Syrah than it does the average California Syrah. A large part of the reason for that is the excellent acidity and great balance this wine has. As with the White Rhone style blend I looked at from Lionheaert, this Syrah wants to be paired with food. I had it with Pot Roast and found that to be an excellent match. Other red meats would also pair nicely as would stinky and/or well aged cheeses. Another teriffic effort from Lionheart Wines.

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While the first wine I looked at from Renard was Grenache, their calling card is Syrah. They make some other Rhone varietals as well. They source their Syrah from several sources. The two wines I’m going to look at today are consecutive vintages they source at Unti Vineyard. In addition to being a grower, Unti is also a producer of fine Dry Creek Valley wines.

The 2003 Renard, Unti Vineyard Syrah is their current release of this offering. 157 cases of this wine were produced in addition to 100 cases of ½ size bottles. The respective retail prices are $25 and $14.

I found that an hour in the decanter was the right amount of time for the 2003 Syrah to really open up and express itself. Once it was open aromas of blueberry, leather, tobacco and light anise filled the nose. A solid core of rich berry fruit is persistent throughout the palate along with nutmeg and white pepper spice notes. Sour black cherry, notes lead the finish followed by earth, bramble, black pepper and classic elements of Dry Creek dust.

The 2002 Renard Syrah I tasted was from half bottles. Just something to note as wine tends to age a bit differently depending on the bottle size. I found the 2002 was pretty much ready to go out of the bottle. It opened up a bit more over time but not as dramatically as the 2003. Candied plum, cedar, violets and anise were present in the nose. The palate was loaded with crushed cherry and to a lesser degree leather characteristics. The nose of the 2002 speaks a bit more of new world Syrah than the 2003, however the palate is definitely old world. Blueberries and licorice notes are present in the mid-palate leading to a finish of prominent earth, mineral and black pepper. The 2002 is perfectly ready to drink now.

What I like best about the Renard Syrahs is that they are both well balanced offering featuring fine acidity and a solid core of rich fruit. As with the Grenache they’re perfectly suited for a wide array of foods. While Renard is a smaller producer you won’t necessarily find on your local shelf, they are well worth seeking out if you like well crafted Rhone varietals. These 2 consecutive vintages are a good example of the consistency of their offerings.

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