About 3 weeks ago, one of the Vino regulars, K suggested we that we have a Cult Syrah wine tasting at Vino when everyone was available. Cult Syrah, what's that? Well, cult wines either are on top of every oenophiles "gotta have" list because of their popularity, quality, scarcity or all three or are deemed cult wines because of the prices they command. Like Screaming Eagle with its $1000 price tag or Noel Verset Cornas because of its scarcity (the last vintage produced was in 2006) and its current $400-plus price tag...
So K and I discussed what to bring this tasting. He had bottles of Sine Qua Non (scarce and expensive) and Cayuse (scarce and expensive) but they were still very young. I had a couple of Cayuse along with Mollydooker's Velvet Glove (expensive) but those wines were also very young. So we did a mish mash of wines...
K started with a bottle of 2006 Aubert "Lauren" Chardonnay...
Which was great with the two oyster specials...
While the I's uncorked a Savary "Fourchaume" 1er Cru Chablis...
For a round of starters including the tomato salad...
the squash blossoms served on a cast iron skillet...
And the poricini risotto...
then the Syrahs made their appearance including our 1999 Clarendon Hills Astralis... loads of earth initially then semi-dried red fruit and nice balance for an Aussie Shiraz...
And our 2000 Domaine Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde from 50 to 70 year old vines... surprisingly, not as much funky earth as I expected but very balanced...
Along with K's 2005 Seymour's - he said he brought it since Monsieur K and I always wear our chapeaus... Still a baby yet with many more years ahead of bottle aging...
And the K's 2005 Mi Sueno Syrah... more earth on the nose than I expected and drinking beautifully...
Along with some of our mains including the lamb meatball pizza...
Bone marrow with crostini...
Osso buco...
And Vintage Steak...
And even Chuck got in on the act by uncorking a 2011 Domaine Vincent Paris "Granit 30" Cornas with most of the grapes from Noel Verset's Le Sabarotte vineyard... though it was still young, it was very drinkable without even being decanted...
And the I's 2008 Keplinger Kingpin Rowe Syrah...
Before the Mrs' strawberry crostade...
Then I uncorked the creme de la creme, a 1996 Noel Verset Cornas... silence please... with black olives, old leather and a touch of tobacco on the nose but still alive with good acid and a medium finish...
We then ended the evening with a Negroni and black coffee...
K has already started thinking about the theme for the next wine dinner...
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