Canada vs The World: Syrah
We’re back with another Canadian-focused wine post. I wrote about my rationale for doing this last month, and (sadly) the reason for this has amped up since then. As of this writing, many provincial liquor stores have removed US wines and liquors from the shelves, with the #BuyCanadian sentiment even stronger than ever.
A friend brought a bottle of J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon (Paso Robles, CA) to my place the other night with profuse apologies. He said that he’d had it lying around, likely a gift from someone else. J. Lohr is a very popular bottle with people who enjoy a full-bodied, approachable red. We opened and enjoyed it. And as I’ve mentioned before, I do have some California wine in my cellar/closet, I’m not about to get rid of something I’ve already bought as it will only hurt me.
While US-made products are ubiquitous—especially in the liquor space, where people are very brand-loyal for things like whiskey—US wines are but one choice in an entire world of wine. And for me, US wines are fairly low on my list when I’m looking for a bottle for myself or as a gift. Not buying US wine won’t really be much of a hardship, if I’m being honest.
So, back to this month’s grape: Syrah. I first wrote about Syrah (aka, Shiraz in Australia) in my One Grape / Two Regions series in February of 2024. Back then, I compared a French Syrah to an Australian Shiraz. If you haven’t read that, I suggest you go back and give it a read, especially if you want to know more about the grape itself. I’ll also link a few more posts at the end of this where I talk about different Syrah/Shiraz wines I’ve tried.
The Contenders
I decided to go with value-priced wines for this comparison. All three of the wines retails for less than $17CAD, and they’re all of similar vintages.
Gérard Bertrand Pollinat’, 2021 Syrah, organic, Cévennes, Languedoc, South of France, $15.95 (LCBO) 13% ABV, 5g/L RS.
Creekside Estate Winery, 2020 Syrah, VQA Niagara, Ontario, $15.95 (LCBO) 12.5% ABV, 3g/L RS.
Thomas Goss Shiraz, 2022, McLaren Vale, South Australia, $16.95 (LCBO) 15.1% ABV, 3g/L RS. This wine seems to be widely available.
Tasting Process
I poured a sample of all three wines using my Coravin wine preservation system. Two of the bottles had screw tops, so the replacement closures on those will only hold their seal for about 3 months, as opposed to bottles sealed with corks, which can last years. In fact, I’d already served myself a glass of the Pollinat’ more than a week ago using the Coravin. If you want to know more about Coravin, I suggest you read my Wine Gadgets post. I let them sit for a bit while my leftover pizza heated up in the oven. The spiciness of Syrah went well with the pepperoni on my pizza.
Tasting Notes
Pollinat’
Appearance: Medium-deep reddish purple, clear, not too dense
Nose: Earthy, mushroom, herbal, some dark fruit
Palate: Dry, medium tannins, medium acid, elegant mouth feel, plums and dark cherries
Overall: I love this wine. Gérard Bertrand is one of the top producers in the south of France and all his wines are biodynamic. I’ve had several of his other wines and have enjoyed them all. This Syrah one of my go-tos when I can find it because the price can’t be beat for such a delicious wine. French Syrah is among my favourite wines as it’s often a bit more refined and elegant than those from Australia, which tend to be bolder.
Creekside
Appearance: Medium-deep reddish purple, very similar to the Pollinat, just a wee bit more pale/translucent.
Nose: Again, very similar to the Pollinat, but with a hint of black pepper
Palate: Dry, medium tannins, med-high acid, medium bodied, fresh dark fruits, spicy, a little tart
Overall: This is a fantastic wine at a fantastic price. It could easily sell for $20-22. Seriously, if you are just dipping your toe into what Canadian (and Niagara) wine has to offer, you can’t go wrong by trying this one, especially if you have the preconceived (and misguided) idea that Ontario doesn’t do red wine well.
Creekside also has three other Syrahs at higher price points that you might want to check out: Iconoclast Syrah ($26.75), Unbroken Press Reserve Syrah ($52.75) and the 2016 Lost Barrel Syrah ($82.75).
Goss
Appearance: Deep, deep reddish purple, almost opaque, inky
Nose: Mint, eucalyptus, licorice, thyme
Palate: Medium-high tannins, dry, almost medicinal, very full mouth feel, high extraction, dark fruits, a bit spicy
Overall: This wine is typical of what you’d expect from an Australian Shiraz, but at $16.95 is a great bargain. It’s full bodied and powerful, and would pair well with any type of red meat.
Final Verdict
I’ve already gushed about how much I love the Pollinat’ (and French Syrah in general) so I’ll leave it at that. If you can find it, buy it (if I don’t beat you to it.) The Creekside will be surprising to people who may have had other Ontario reds in this price range and were underwhelmed by them. This one stands up and I would 100% buy it again. Since the Goss is quite typical of Aussie Shiraz (and there are so many to choose from) I don’t know that I’d buy it again. But with the price of Shiraz usually in the $20+ range, this one is a good bargain.
What’s in your glass this week? And have you been inspired to try any other Canadian wines?
I'm hopeful that in the current trade situation the LCBO will fill some of the empty shelves with BC Syrah. I was in the Okanagan Valley last fall visiting a few wineries and tasted a number of fantastic Syrah wines I would love to be able to purchase here in Ontario. Unfortunately most of the 2024 crop was damaged by a severe freeze in February of 2024 so it may be some time before they fill Ontario stores.