Stama Syrah Ma-Sa-Ga 2007

Served With: White Beans & Rosemary

Five Things: vegetal, green pepper, blackberry, bramble, tight

COO: Sierra Foothills, Calaveras County, California

Notes: With supposedly only 200 cases produced, this one is a bit of a mystery. Picked it up at my local Heinen's grocery store, but there doesn't seem to be much any info on the interwebs about it, or on Stama's website. It needed time to open up, as it was a little tight at first, became more rounded with the pairing of the smokey white beans and rosemary.

Rating: Good

Tags: Stama, Syrah, 2007, california, calaveras, sierra foothills

Syncline Syrah 2005

Served With: Bourguignon

Five Things: inky, leather, morello cherry, cigar, cedar

COO: Columbia Valley, Washington

Notes: A Valentine's Day dinner, a French stew and a Rhone-style wine from Columbia Valley, Washington: A match made in heaven. The smokey syrah had a long finish that paired beautifully with the stew (channeling my inner Julia Child). My only sadness was that it was the last bottle of the four that I picked up a while back.

Website: Syncline Wine

Rating: Very Good

Tags: columbia valley, washington, syrah, 2005, syncline