Clos du Soleil Winemaker’s Series Syrah 2021

Every time I taste a syrah grown beside or near the classic Bordeaux grape varieties in the New World, I wonder what Bordeaux might be like had they approved syrah as a grape variety inside their storied appellation. BC’s Similkameen Valley has been a revelation for syrah drinkers. At Clos du Soleil, winemaker Michael Clark thinks the daily winds and poor, stony soils are a blessing for syrah, which loves the daytime heat and, even more, the cool nights. Savoury sagebrush, pencil, black fruits, and white pepper with chalky mineral notes flood your palate, and this wine is only waking up. It can be consumed now with barbecued ribs, or cellar it for five to seven years and move onto a lamb shoulder. Get it well you can. Supplies will dwindle into 2025 due to the freeze-out affecting the size of the 2023 crop across BC. Score – 91. (Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, July 25, 2023)