WTF is Syrah? Okanagan Valley Wines (Canadian Wine; wine for Cabernet fans; Syrah and Viognier blend; Syrah = Shiraz)

Show Notes

Episode 31: WTF is Syrah? WTF is Okanagan Wine?  (A wine for Cabernet fans; Syrah and Viognier blend; Syrah = Shiraz) 00:00

Hello! And welcome to the Wine Pair podcast. I’m Joe, your sommelier of reasonably priced wine, and this is my wife and wine-pairing partner in crime - Carmela. And we are the Wine Pair.

For new listeners to our Podcast, just so you know - what we usually do in every episode is taste and review three reasonably priced wines - which means under $20 - that you should be able to find easily in your local store or online or something like that. 

And this week, we are returning to one of our favorites - the WTF series, and this episode we have a double WTF! What is the WTF series you ask? Well, the WTF series is an opportunity to introduce listeners to wines that they may not be as familiar with but want to learn about or maybe should know about so they are not stuck drinking cabernet and chardonnay all the time - and it’s really fun for us, too, because it forces us to find new wines and expand our knowledge and experience as well. Otherwise, we’d just drink Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cava all the time!

So, our first WTF in this episode is about Syrah wine, so we’ll talk about WTF Syrah wine is, and the second WTF is us talking about WTF wine from the Okanagan Valley in Canada is. Wow. Lots of F’s in this one! 

I will say, though, depending on where you live, this episode will stretch the usual boundaries or parameters of our show. Do you know why, Carmela?  First of all, wines from the Okanagan may not be totally easy for you to find unless you are in Canada. And, second, all of these wines are a bit over our price point of $20 or less, but, when you do the exchange rate, which we will, they are not that far off. They are close enough. 

And I am willing to go beyond these normal boundaries because we are focusing on wines from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada, which is a place near and dear to my heart because it is where my mom grew up and where I spent a lot of time as a child. Every summer, that was our summer vacation trip. And my brothers and I loved it. We’ve been, Carmela, and you have to admit, it’s a pretty great place.

But I will say that  growing up, I really don’t remember much wine production or grape growing in the Penticton area, except in my grandparent’s backyard - which is a whole other story that we will have to cover sometime. My dear lovely Aunt Agata Elia left me my grandfather’s still where he made grappa from the remains of the wine that he made, and a tool that he used to put corks in bottles. And we are right around her birthday, so talking about Penticton feels very appropriate.

Some of you out there in listening land may be surprised that there is wine production in Canada, and there is a good reason for that. Wine grapes are a bit fickle when it comes to how much rain, sun, and heat they need. It’s very specific!

We put a link to a really cool map in our show notes that shows how limited the global areas where wine grapes can be grown are. And, most of Canada is just not in the latitude where wine grapes can be grown (between the 30th and 50th degrees latitude, both above and below the equator). One of those rare places in Canada is in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, which is just barely in the right belt of latitude and longitude. And, interestingly, it  is in the only semi-arid area of Canada. 

Do you know what semi-arid means, Carmela? It basically means almost a desert. Like a desert-lite. It is an area that gets more rainfall than a desert, but not enough rainfall to support things like forests. What is interesting about this area of British Columbia, which is very similar to the wine areas of eastern Washington State, is that winters are really cold, and summers are really hot. We will talk more about the wine growing area of the Okanagan Valley and the Syrah wines we are going to be tasting today that I bought when I was up there a few months ago  . . .

Link to Map and Article:

https://winegeography.com/wine-varietals/red/item/47-wine-regions 

But, first, . . . we have to do our shameless plug, Carmela. If you like what you are hearing, or even if you don’t like it, we think it would be amazing for you to subscribe to our podcast so you can expand your brain vessels with amazing information like what we are going to share today. 

And we would also love you to give us a rating and review, and we would love it if you would send us some feedback on things you would like us to do on the podcast. Are there underappreciated wine regions you would like us to talk about?!? Well, let us know!!! You can DM us on Instagram at thewinepairpodcast or on our website at thewinepairpodcast.com if you have any feedback or ideas or want to collaborate or be a guest. And, as we do every week, here is someone in your life we think you should tell about The Wine Pair Podcast - and that is anyone you know who is in the military. Since we are recording this right around Memorial Day, we think you should show those folks some extra love and appreciation by telling them about us!

Topic: Wines from the Okanagan Valley  08:16

Ok, let’s talk a little more about wine country in Canada, and specifically the wine country in Canada that we are dedicated to - wines from the Okanagan Valley, and for me specifically, because my mom grew up in Penticton British Columbia and is a proud graduate of Penticton high school, better known as Penticton Secondary School. I am a sucker for wines from the area around Penticton, specifically Naramata, Okanagan Falls and Summerland. Carmela, did you know, according to the Visit Penticton website, there are 170 wineries within 20 minutes of Penticton. Mind blown!

https://www.visitpenticton.com/listing-category/wineries/ 

The number of wineries in that area, which is not a super highly populated area (about 45k people in the “metro” area), is really shocking to me because, as I said, I really don’t remember much wine or grape growing in the Okanagan when I visited as a kid. What I mostly remember, and this is true of Eastern Washington State as well, is lots and lots and lots of fruit trees - mostly peach, apricot, apple, pear, and cherry. I mean, Penticton has its annual Peach Festival, and there is a big Peach on the beach at Okanagan lake where they sell ice cream. So, peaches I remember. They don’t have a grape festival!  In fact, my aunt and uncle had an orchard in Summerland where they had tons of apricot and peach trees, a large chicken pen, and where my uncle, who was a butcher by trade, would raise cattle and butcher them for people in the area. By the way, in talking with my uncle recently, I came to realize that he was raising organic meat before that was so hyped. You remember visiting them, don’t you Carmela? I don’t think you ever got to see the orchard while they still owned it, did you?

Today in the Okanagan, there are tons of wineries, and some are getting some recognition. I will say that wines from the Okanagan are often not super easy to find in the US, even here in Washington State which borders British Columbia,  because of import laws, etc, so we are a little outside of our usual parameters, but if you can find wine from the Okanagan, we encourage you to try it out and see what you think. And, if you want to go on a wine vacation, it is hard not to love the Okanagan, especially in the summer.

As we mentioned earlier, there are not a lot of places in Canada where you can grow wine. In doing some research on the interwebs, the wine grape growing areas of Canada which are in the 30-50 latitude are primarily the Niagara Peninsula in southern Ontario and the Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valleys in British Columbia. Similkameen basically butts up against the Okanagan. There are a few small areas in other provinces, but these two make up the bulk. According to an article I found on the interwebs, and which we have links to in the show notes, there are over 500 wineries in Canada.

So, what kinds of wine grapes are they growing in the Okanagan Valley? Well, as might be expected, there are certain wine grapes that do better in an area like Penticton where the summers are hot but also relatively short. The fact that days are long at the latitude where the Okanagan is helps, and so does the fact that there are many hills which can protect grapes from too much sun, and lakes in the area like Skaha and Okanagan lake which can cool things down a bit as well. 

For red wines, any ideas, Carmela? they tend to fall into the following varietals:

• Syrah, which we are trying today. 
• Bordeaux wine grapes that are made into Bordeaux style blends. Think Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. I think they are overdoing it with the Bordeaux blends, in my opinion, but those are popular wines. If I were to go back, I would definitely look for the Cabernet Franc wines. 
• Pinot Noir is another grape they are growing there, but it may be a little too hot for them.
• They are also creating a lot of Rhone Style GSM blends - Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre

We’ll see what we think of the Syrah’s we are going to try today, but my experience is that the whites from Okanagan are where they really shine.

For white wines. Any guesses Carmela?, they are best known for the following:

• German wines, and Riesling in particular is a great grape for the region, and they are producing some excellent dry rieslings as well as gewurztraminer.
• Chardonnay is a popular wine and grape from the area, and, for my taste, the less oak the better. The area is becoming known for creating really good Chardonnay
• Pinot Gris or Grigio is another wine that is made in the area
• Viognier is another - which we need to do an episode on soon - and it will actually show up in one of these wines today - more on that!
• Pinot Auxerrois (aux - eh - wah) is another grape they are growing in the area which I have never tried before. It is a white grape, and is evidently a cousin of Chardonnay

They are also famous for some ice wines in this area, particularly from a winery called Inniskillin which has gotten tons of positive reviews for their Vidal ice wine in particular. These are pricey wines that are definitely made for dessert. 

ARTICLES

• https://winecountryontario.ca/2019/05/02/canadian-wine-regions/#:~:text=Our%20primary%20wine%2Dgrowing%20regions,in%20Quebec%20and%20Nova%20Scotia. 
• https://winefolly.com/lifestyle/okanagan-wine-country-guide/ 
• https://www.decanter.com/premium/british-columbia-syrah-canadas-rising-star-474907/ 
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef/2022/01/11/why-you-should-explore-the-wines-of-the-okanagan-valley/?sh=148d1ca05449 
• https://www.idealwine.info/conditions-necessary-great-wine-part-12/ 
• https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/best-wine-okanagan-valley-british-columbia-canada 
• https://www.winemag.com/2019/09/30/wine-vacations-for-every-budget/ 

What are Syrah wines, and why did we chose them for this episode 15:16

As we mentioned, Syrah wines are one of the more common varieties created in the Okanagan Valley. And there is a very good reason for that. Why do you think that may be, Carmela? 

Syrah is a wine grape that actually does well in both hotter climates and cooler climates. So, for a place with really hot growing seasons like the Okanagan, Syrah is a great choice. 

Syrah from warmer climates is also a good wine for those who like Cabernet Sauvignon and want to find other wines that are like Cabernet. And probably one of the reasons why you may not know Syrah is because in the US, Cabernet is king, and so store shelves tend to fill up with Cabernet. Which is a shame because you might really like Syrah (or other wines we will talk about in other episodes) so that’s why we are talking about them today.

Syrah is most famous for the Rhone region in France, and is a central grape in the famous Rhone GSM blends. Do you remember what GSM stands for? G is for Grenache, S is for Syrah, and M is for Mourvedre. You may also know these wines as Cote du Rhone and Chateuneauf de Pape. 

Syrah can be found in many other wine regions, like California, South Africa, and the Okanagan, and we have mentioned this in other podcasts, but the Australian version of the wine is called Shiraz. So, don’t get confused by those things. 

Syrah wines from warmer climates like the Okanagan have different taste profiles than those from cooler regions like the Northern Rhone in France or the Sonoma Coast in California. And, one interesting thing about the Okanagan is, because it is desert-like, it has really warm days but cool evenings, and wines  made from grapes from those kinds of climates tend to be higher in acidity - which is shorthand for food friendly. In hotter climates, the heat makes the grapes ripen pretty quickly, and that can create more alcohol because of higher sugar content, and fruitier wines with more dark berry flavors. In comparison to cooler climate Syrahs, these may taste a bit sharper, firmer, more “aloholy” and maybe what I would call less “round” in the mouth. It all depends on what you like, but we’ll tell you what we think and if we like them later on in the podcast. 

https://www.cawineclub.com/blog/cold-climate-syrah-vs-warm-climate-syrah/#:~:text=Syrah%20is%20interesting%20because%20it,time%E2%80%9D%20and%20greater%20acid%20development.

So, we have three different Syrahs, including one really unique Syrah Viognier blend that I am very excited about. What is weird or crazy about that, Carmela?  What is really cool about the Syrah Viognier blend is that Syrah is typically a red wine grape and Viognier is typically a white wine grape. From some research on the interwebs, it turns out that these two grapes are grown together in the Cote-Rotie region of the Northern Rhone valley in France, and it is allowable for them in that region to blend up to 20% Viognier into their Syrah. Even in Australia, a Shiraz is allowed to have up to 15% Viognier - or any other grape - blended into it and still be called Shiraz. 

If you really want to nerd out, we have links to articles that go into the chemistry behind this combo, but one of the reasons for blending is the Viognier actually makes the wine darker, which is strange. It also is said to help with creating a richer aroma for the wine. 

So, we have two wines that are 100% Syrah, and one that is a Syrah Viognier blend, and one of the wines we are drinking is actually from a winery called CC Jentsch Cellars that closed in August of 2021 after their found died, but the person at Martin Street Liquor Merchants in Penticton who helped me pick out these wines (who we tried to get on the show unsuccessfully) told us this was a wine to try. So, if you can find it, cellar it! 

On that note, the great Syrah wines can age, but for most of the Syrahs you are going to get at the under $20 price point, you’ll want to drink them relatively young - within about 5-10 years or so, and I would not recommend drinking a Syrah under 3 years old. Like I always say, unfortunately, people tend to drink wines that are too young. Great Syrahs, like those from cote-rotie in France, can age for 20 years or more. But they turn into a different wine than the young ones. And they are definitely not going to be in the $20 range

Articles

• https://www.ridgewine.com/about/news/co-fermentation-of-syrah-and-viogner/#:~:text=In%20the%20northern%20Rhone%20valley,done%20for%20hundreds%20of%20years.
• https://www.wine-searcher.com/grape-1685-syrah-viognier  
• https://www.timeschronicle.ca/c-c-jentsch-permanently-closes-their-doors/
• https://www.vivino.com/wine-news/guide-to-aging-wine-why-and-when-to-age-wine/ 
• https://pinotsquirrel.com/store-syrah-shiraz-wine/ 

Ok, enough with this jibber jabber - let’s get to it!

Okanagan Syrah wines we are tasting and reviewing 21:15

Wine: Time Syrah

Region: British Columbia, Penticton

Producer: Time

Year: 2018

Price: $29.55 (exchange rate - was $36.99 CAN $)

Retailer: Martin St. Liquor Merchants

Alcohol: 13.9%

Grapes: Syrah

What we tasted and smelled: Mint, herbs, pepper, plum, blueberry, vanilla, menthol, blackberry, blackberry pie, currant. Sharp, a lot of tannins. Young. Racy. Sharp. Needs time. 

Food pairing with: Needs to be paired with food. Red meat. Meat and potatoes. Burger and fries. Grilled steak. BBQ.

Rating: 

• Joe: 6
• Carmela: 6

Wine: CC Jentsch Cellars

Region: British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (Golden Mile, Oliver)

Producer: CC Jentsch

Year: 2016

Price: $27.95 (exchange rate - was $34.99 CAN $)

Retailer: Martin St. Liquor Merchants

Alcohol: 14.1%

Grapes: Syrah

What we tasted and smelled: Cranberry, mint, Vicks Vapo-Rub, musty, black cherry, tart cherry, wood, grandpa’s old wooden chest, earth, smoky. Red berry. Fruit forward

Food pairing with: Good with food. Juicy pork tenderloin. BBQ. Pork. Pulled pork sandwich. French fries and ketchup. Caprese with balsamic vinegar.

Rating: 

• Joe: 7
• Carmela: 7

Wine: Hester Creek Syrah Viognier

Region: British Columbia, Okanagan Valley (Golden Mile, Oliver)

Producer: Hester Creek

Year: 2018

Price: $23.96 (exchange rate - was $29.99 CAN $)

Retailer: Martin Street Liquor Merchants

Alcohol: 13.9%

Grapes: 83% Syrah 17% Viognier

What we tasted and smelled: Playdough, mint, salty, spices, herbs, basil, earth, fruity, tart fruit, cranberry. Toothpaste. Young. Not as “hot.”

Food pairing with: Grilled red meat. Fatty food, less spicy. 

Rating: 

• Joe: 7
• Carmela:  7

Which one of these are you finishing tonight?

• Carmela: Hester Creek
• Joe: CC Jentsch

Taste profiles expected from Okanagan Syrah, Syrah Viognier Blend:  45:25

• Syrah
  • Blueberry, plum, milk chocolate, tobacco, green peppercorn
  • Blackberry, blueberry, black olive, cherry, raisin, black pepper, black licorice, eucalyptus
  • Okanagan Syrah tastes much closer to what you'll find in cooler parts of the Northern Rhône. The best examples exhibit flavors of red cherry, dried cranberry, sage, and white pepper. Wines have medium-plus tannins, moderate acidity, and a sweet cherry finish. This is not your typical big, bold Syrah. (https://winefolly.com/lifestyle/okanagan-wine-country-guide/) 
• Syrah Viognier
  • Pepper, red and dark berries, jam, anise, and chocolate. (https://www.danmurphys.com.au/liquor-library/wine/varieties/shiraz-viognier) 
  • black raspberry, black currant, violet, and chocolate along with savory hints of olive, bacon fat, white pepper, and powerful charcoal smoke (https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/northern-rhone-wine-french-syrah/) 

Outro and how to find us 47:21

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Thanks for listening to the Wine Pair podcast, and we will see you next time. And, as we say, life is short, so stop drinking shitty wine.