Mitchell Katz Winery

Oh, baby! This is a big, fat, meaty, hearty, take-no-prisoners Syrah. Yes, it packs a mighty punch in the alcohol department, but it has the stuffing to pull it off. In fact, this wine is like a team of Clydesdales pulling the holiday beer wagon. Nothing will stop it; nothing will derail it; nothing can challenge its intense, fruit-laden richness. Winemaker Mitch Katz likes his wines well-muscled, meaty and dense: you can almost picture him barrel tasting, using a fork instead of a wine thief. He especially enjoys working with growers who clearly understand the kind of fruit profile he prefers.

Mitch raves about Peter Clark, the owner of Clark’s Corner Vineyard in Livermore. “His Syrah is excellent! The 2005 (Ed note: this very wine) was both the People’s Choice and the Taster’s Choice for the ‘Taste of Livermore’ this year. That’s never happened before! It might have had something to do with the great dish that was paired with it: wild boar burgers!” Taste of Livermore is an annual event that occurs in July and features select wine from Livermore wineries paired with dishes concocted by local food purveyors. Professional wine and food judges vote for their favourites, as do consumers. Rarely are they synchronous!

Although I had no boar burgers on hand, I’d have to say this wine is the equivalent of drinking a Westphalian ham and apple butter sandwich on pumpernickel, followed by a baked plum galette. It’s a meal in itself and then some. Save room for the boar burgers.

Reviewed January 16, 2008 by Laura Ness.