Super Syrah

A couple of great Syrah/Shiraz that I’ve enjoyed lately, they both show the elegance that this versatile grape is capable of.

G6 Bethany 2006 Barossa Shiraz £14.50 Lancelot Wines, East Molesey

I bought this expecting the the big block-buster shiraz one might expect from the Barossa, it was to go with some spicy BBQ food, however it was better than that! Certainly the nose lived up to expectation; intense red fruit with plenty of red and brambly fruit, spicy cinnamon, pepper and vanilla with a hint of cocoa. The colour is more subtle, paler than many of it neighbours and the favour is gentle and elegant, smooth, deep with pronounced red cherries with a touch of pepper.

Paul Jaboulet Aine, St Joseph “Le Grand Pompee” 2007 (half), £9.25 for the 2009 Wine Society

I was luckily enough to win this bottle and thought it would be wonderful with some grilled lamb, I wasn’t wrong. The colour was mid plum, with a hint of brick at the edges indicating some bottle age. The wine smelled divine, sweet red and bramble fruit with liquorice and old leather chairs, soft but restrained. It tasted wonderful, smooth but with balanced, firm tannins, a delicate mouthful of bitter strawberries, dry but with luscious fruit, a very classy wine.

What to take to a BYO?

Wine: What to take to a BYO? | Life and style | The Guardian

Fiona Beckett

Mas Belles Eaux Vin de Pays de Caux Rosé 2010 (£7.95,fromvineyardsdirect.com; 12.5% abv), an elegant blend of syrah and mourvèdre from an estate just north of Pézenas . At that price it is at least £2 less than a comparable Provençal rosé would be.

Neutral, minerally whites such as the flexible Austrian grüner veltliner really useful. Waitrose has a good offer on the Domäne Wachau Terraces Grüner Veltliner 2010(12% abv), which from next Wednesday will be reduced from £8.49 to £6.36 (though you may well find the 2009, which is also fine).

Australian chardonnay with some bottle age, such as the sumptuously creamy Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2008, from Margaret River (14.5% abv), currently £23 from the Wine Society, it's perfect for scallops, salmon, roast chicken or veal, so covers a fair number of menu options.

Reds that you can chill and drink with fish are also handy, for instance a beaujolais, Loire red or a pinot noir. The luscious Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2009 from Chile (£9.59 if you buy two or more at Majestic; 14.5% abv) should keep everyone happy. It's really impressive for a big brand.

Sherry

Susy-Atkins - Daily Telegraph

Tesco Finest Amontillado, Barbadillo, Jerez (£5.29 for 50cl)
This pale amber sherry, lightly scented with walnuts and toffee, and very dry, tastes refreshing for a slight chill. Serve with tapas, especially light charcuterie and roast red peppers
La Gitana Manzanilla, Hidalgo, Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Waitrose, £8.89 for 70cl, down to £6.99 until Tuesday)
Vivacious, fresh and yeasty with a very dry, almost briny, long finish. Served cold, this is one of the best hot-weather aperitifs in the world, especially with green olives on the side
La Ina Fino, Lustau, Jerez (Wine Society, thedrinkshop.com and independents, from £8.95 for 70cl)Consistently one of the top finos, watery pale, uncompromisingly dry and streaked with tangy apple and lemon. Wonderful sipped ice-cold with salty seafood