The winemaker at Failla, Ehrin Jordan, has serious pedigree. He is one of the key forces behind Turley – a cult zin maker. Failla is the family winery, sourcing fruit from a wide variety of sources and is particularly acclaimed for northern Rhone style results achieved from the Syrah varietal. The 2006 Failla Phoenix Ridge Syrah topped the Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 list in 2008(the full list can be downloaded here). Jordan is a master fruit-sourcer. In Jordan’s hands, the Syrah from the Que vineyard is compared to Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Cote-Rotie, and Saint Joseph, the four most famous French regions for this varietal. True or not, this is wine-geek-speak for saying the stuff rocks. The fruit flavors trend towards the red side of the spectrum – ripe cherries and rasberries. Expect wild, gamy, herb-like subtleties with flinty minerality and earthy notes such as black olives. The wine is noted for a consistent balance between a fleshy, lush introduction to the palate with a dry, spicy, and slightly acidic grip that makes the finish surprising. In Boheme’s hands – under winemaker Kurt Beitler – the results are similarly wonderful to our great relief. The same flinty, gamey quality, integrated tannins, and balanced acidity. Que Syrah, Syrah indeed.

A sure sign that the world’s wine tastes might be turning away from heaviosity for good is when the Chileans – yes, the Chileans! – head for the coast in pursuit of cool climate growing conditions. Actually, a more accurate statement would be that the wine business in America has decided to look and see if there is anything besides the bargain behemoths Cab Sav and Carmenere coming out of the country and take a chance on trying to sell it. New world wine regions like Argentina, Chile, and Australia are increasingly complex and hard to generalize, and that’s a good thing. Value lurks here – even for you Burg-hounds and Rhone-snobs. Last week we reported on the fabulous Chilean-Argentinian joint venture in sparkling wines – Bodega Cruzat. Today let’s focus on the Casablanca Valley northwest of Santiago – a coastal valley with cool nights and dense morning fogs.   These are Carneros-style conditions that are perfect for Syrah, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, and the wines reflect that style.  Intertestingly, Chile’s hottest wine region – Aconcagua – is a neighbor just to the north – so this is a true microclimate.

Kingston Family wines are a good place to start seeking out this new side of Chilean winemaking. Winemaker Byron Kosuge is a California veteran and a Pinot Noir specialist.   He’s a two-harvest type of guy (sort of a winemaker’s equivalent of a bi-coastal Hollywood type.)  Fortunately for us, he spends his winters and springs working in Chile – imparting his aesthetic to more modestly priced wines than what he does in his summers and falls(working for Saintsbury in California.)  When he plays with Syrah, he opts for the cool-climate style, coaxing out a pinot-like end result… medium bodied with expressive minerality, and subtle, racy tannins.  With the Lucero expect rich blackberry and raspberry fruit with a restrained feel.   This is a promising play for $18 – and would be fun to face-off against a considered, central coast California effort such as those from Qupe.  Only 700 cases made.

The Market is flooded with 2006 Cotes du Rhones, and if you know where to look, its a great thing for the budget minded shopper. For all of you drinking nothing but New World reds, its time to give the Old World another look. Throughout the Rhone Valley in 2006 vignerons produced plump rich Grenache and meaty smoky Syrah- Andezon is primarily the latter; it is a dense wine with spicy fruit, bacon fat, smoke and loads of herbes de provence. Great with grilled lamb or a spicy pasta- A serious value at $10