A Dynamite Syrah from California's Lodi Region

It's been awhile since I had a really great Syrah and tonight I had one that was just fantastic.

Earlier this month I bought a Klinker Brick Zinfandel at Vine and Table that was really a nice big wine. I wrote about it March 1 on this blog.

During the same visit I was looking for a Syrah and came across Klinker Brick's 2005 Lodi Syrah and picked up a bottle for $16.95.

I opened it up tonight and immediately was taken by the big fragrant nose on this beautiful and inexpensive bottle of wine. I'm a fan now of Klinker Brick. If you see their label, I'd say buy it!

Good Syrah should have some "Wow" power when it first hits your mouth and this wine does not disappoint. It has a big fruit-forward flavor. The tasting notes from the winery said dried cherry and chocolate. I didn't get the cherry but did get the hints of choclate.

This is a fairly big wine on alcohol at 14.8 percent. The winery made just 1,500 cases. Wines of that limited production suggest they got a lot of love. This wine got a lot of love.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com