Usually when I talk about Livermore’s Concannon Vineyard, I’m talking about Petite Sirah, but not today. As far as I am aware, there is nothing related about the Syrah and the Petite Sirah grapes except for very similar names. While Concannon shines with their Petite Sirahs, this 2006 Syrah from them is not so easy to outright laud, but it’s still an interesting find.
On the nose is very little in the way of fruit notes, all I got here is oak, wood, and smoke. I actually have here in my notes, “fireplace,” and while I don’t think it smelled burned, there’s an appropriateness to that word. Perhaps it should have been simply “fire.” The fruit appears on the palate, in the form of a nice mix of black and red fruit notes (some blackberry and sour cherry), and the oakiness is still there.
Some wine writers have made hay with certain wines about “giving [them] splinters,” and if you have that kind of reaction to really oaky wines, this one’s probably not for you. But there is a warmth and spiciness about this Syrah that I still found myself drawn to. It’d be one hell of a wine at a cookout, that’s for sure.
I think I should point out the QPR here… for $8-$10, this wine hits a pretty nice QPR note overall, but you still have to be down with its oaky smokiness.
Verdict: 82/100