I have to hand it to the folks at Muscedere, in a year in which they could have gotten away with calling this wine Shiraz they stuck with their roots and called it Syrah. On the nose this is currently a one hit peppery number, but it’s on the palate where this wine really shows its complexity. Smooth yet smoky with hints of sweet meat, white pepper, cassis and blackberry. The wine shows little evidence of its 14 months in two-thirds new French oak – in other words the wine has already integrated nicely. Only 75 cases produced so get yours soon. Price: $40.00 – Rating: ****+