Something it has in common with a lot of those other new world syrahs is a ton of wood. At first taste, it’s a little like sucking on a woodchip soaked in a berry-brandy compote: cedar, fruit and alcohol.

But, with a little time in the glass, the fruit and spicy flavors get more complex. They work wonderfully with the lush mouthfeel and chalky tannins that coat the cheeks and teeth.

And it’s like that coating helps seal in the finish (aftertaste). It lasts for a really long time, offering up all those berries, cedar and even a little earthy mineral.

But what to do if you actually want to try pairing this monster syrah with food? It’s a challenge, but anything you have to chase for a half hour before clubbing and dragging over to a barbeque should do just fine. If whatever it was runs faster than you and gets away, grab that old pair of Timberlands, get ‘em over the coals for 20 minutes a side, and cover in gravy.

And for the vegetarian in your life, get some of that extra firm, rugged wild bean tofu.

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.").

How big is too big? That’s a question for which you get varying answers, depending on whether you ask, say, a diamond merchant or a porn star (or a porn star named Diamond Merchant).

You also get varying answers from one wine lover to the next. Some think a wine should never be so heavy and rich that it becomes difficult to pair with food. Others feel a wine is only too big when a spoon is needed to first stir in the chunky bits and then to shovel the quivering, gelatinous mass into one’s pie hole.

For those of you in the second camp, I think you can safely put down your you spoons, but this is still a massive wine that you’re gonna love.

The color is a garnet and purple blend as opaque as a liquid can possibly be. Tip the glass and you get thick legs inching down the sides – legs so fat they’ve got cellulite.

The nose is huge, with loads of smoke, game, earthy blueberry, blackberry and mocha (with less coffee and more chocolate.) It’s also a bit hot, but not half as hot as half the Californian syrahs coming up.