But there is one thing missing (besides the bitter and salty elements): the pepper. Pepper, which is the calling card of many a syrah, has taken the day off with this one. Sure there's a good does of white pepper on the nose, but you can chalk that up to a high alcohol content. Our friend black pepper apparently had a prior engagement (perhaps showing in a new zinfandel somewhere).

Anytime I review a Trader Joe's-only or TJ-primarily wine, I get a raft o' crap from anyone who doesn't live near a Trader Joe's or, worse, lives in a state where Trader Joe's can't sell wine. Sorry to you all, but this wine is too good not to write about. For those geographically unfortunate, I recommend you call a friend in California (where I know you can get this winner) and have her/him ship you several bottles. Even with the cost of shipping you'll come out ahead.

If you live in a doubly unfortunate area, and you can't get wine shipped to you, it may be time to relocate. If that's not something you can do in the next few weeks, I recommend instead planning your summer vacation out to California. Rather than ship you wine, I'm sure that friend would love to see you!

Cheers,
TSW

* - Chimp Wine is a WoW designation signifying a no-brainer, must-buy wine (as in, "You'd have to be a chimp not to buy this wine.").

WoW
...really excited about wine

The next time you're in Trader Joe's and people are leaving with two cases of Charles Shaw (a.k.a. Two Buck Chuck), you should leave with half a case of this syrah.

You'll be getting the better deal, I assure you.

This is an amazing wine that, for reasons I'd rather not question, is available at an amazing price. It’s a price that might just have some people pass it by with the assumption that it's not that good. You now know better.

This is a medium-colored wine, but that's where the modesty stops. The nose is heady, bright, a little alcoholic and loaded with oak, violets, blueberry and black cherry. There's also enough cafe mocha in the nose to have you buzzing from the theoretical caffeine.

The fruit on the palate is bright, fresh, sweet, tart and just a touch sour. If that doesn't cover the gamut of what you want, you're obviously looking for sour and salty elements in your syrah that I don't need.