Calaveras AVA
2020 Lavender Ridge Vineyard Syrah – The Fruit was Perfectly Matched to the Beef Dish and Spices
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I purchased this wine four years ago and laid it down in the cellar. Knowing the meal, I thought this would go well with it. Sierra foothills Syrah tend to be intense with bold flavors from granite-based soils and a warm climate. This met and exceeded those expectations with dark fruits of blackberry, plum and spicy notes of pepper and clove. Earthy notes of smoke and minerality were exceptional. On the nose, floral violet aromas and the finish being full-bodied and soft caressing tannins.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Dinner with this wine beef Teriyaki with snow peas and green onions. Ingredients besides the flank steak, Teriyaki sauce, snow peas, kosher salt, chardonnay wine, red chili peppers, cayenne pepper, cornstarch, cooking oil, white mushrooms, garlic, ginger root and sliced green onions. Syrah works well with beef teriyaki with its bold fruit flavors that counterbalance the dish spiciness. The rich dark fruit of the wine absorbs the edgy profiles of ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Accompanied by a bed of brown rice.
The wine was perfectly suited for the meal with its dryness and fruit providing a beautiful backdrop to each morsel.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Lavender Ridge Vineyard tasting room is in the town of Murphys in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills. Lavender Ridge specializes in Rhone varietal wines. They include Cotes du Calaveras Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Rolle, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Grenache, Cotes du Calaveras, Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Vin Doux and Anniversaire Blanc. They also feature an artisan cheese selection that is unique and has something for just about everyone.
To read more about Lavender Ridge, see these previous articles:
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com