Sommelier William Predhomme, above, has a dream; a beautiful dream that is all about Ontario Syrah. It consumes him as he mounts a quest to put this under-appreciated grape in the hearts and on the palates of wine lovers everywhere.
He knows it is an uphill battle to elevate this variety to the same stature of many of its more glamorous cousins — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Riesling. But it’s a battle he’s willing to wage.
Predhomme, until last December the head sommelier at Oliver and Bonacini’s famed Canoe restaurant and currently an associate professor at the University of Guelph and chasing a variety of new wine-related projects, believes that Ontario, and more specifically the Lake Erie North Shore region, is perfect for making cool-climate Syrah in the style more commonly associated with the Northern Rhone, rather than those big, jammy examples from Australia. Perhaps not at the Côte-Rôtie or Hermitage level (Ontario doesn’t have the topography for that, he says), but more in tune with Crozes-Hermitage.
He is so committed that he has launched his own label, non-profit for now, called the North Shore Project, making his first Syrah from grapes purchased at the Lake Erie North Shore winery Colio. He trucks the grapes from LENS to Prince Edward County’s Hinterland winery where partner and winemaker Jonas Newman made their first Syrah from 2012 fruit.
Predhomme calls it his “passion project” and has brought his North Shore Syrah first to restaurants in Ontario before expanding to retail sales. “I want people to dig it,” he says.
“I dream about this stuff. Syrah (grown in Ontario) is beautiful, with pepper, meat, bright cherry, lovely balance and great acidity,” he says. “It’s understated and food friendly and it grows really well here. We have to keep pushing that envelope, but it can be an uphill battle.”
Note: Since this article was written, Predhomme and Newman have bottled a North Shore Project Syrah Rose from LENS for the 2013 vintage but will likely not have a 2014 version due to winter kill.
Rob Power, from Creekside Estate Winery in Niagara and perhaps the most decorated Syrah winemaker in Canada with his Broken Press Syrah, agrees with Predhomme and can’t figure out why Syrah doesn’t get its due in Ontario.
He says it ripens two to three weeks earlier than varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and produces a great wine even in the traditionally weaker vintages for reds such as 2008, 2009 and 2011.
“We’re not trying to make a super-ripe, super-jammy Shiraz,” he says. We’re looking for food friendly wines, elegant and structured. I think we’re getting better — we’re figuring out how to ripen it and not push it somewhere where it shouldn’t go,” Power says.
After tasting through the vast majority of Syrahs (and Shirazes) made in Ontario, I would say the future is bright for this beautiful grape.
Here are some reviews of Ontario Syrah (some of which have already been posted on this site):
Creekside Broken Press Syrah 2010, Niagara ($40, 93 points) — The nose is enthralling with graphite, roasted meats, blackberries, currants, cracked peppercorns, oak spice, loam, violets and smoky-savoury notes. It is thick, rich and luxurious on the palate with black fruits mingling brilliantly with Espresso bean, earth, boysenberry, spicy pepper and vanilla. About 5% Viognier is co-fermented into the blend.
Five Rows Craft Wine Shiraz Syrah 2010, Niagara ($50, 93 points) — A nose that’s meaty, earthy and smoky with gobs of dark, rich, black fruits, pepper and an array of other spices. And, in the mouth, yes, there are firm tannins, but structural tannins, not overly aggressive to go with blackberries, cassis, currants, cracked peppercorns and all lifted by vibrant acidity.
Tawse Estate Syrah 2010, Niagara ($50, 92 points) — The nose reveals meaty dark fruits, rich cherry notes, mocha and pepper spice, dried herbs and bramble. The fruit is concentrated on the palate and shows complexity with cracked black pepper, black olives and lovely garrigue notes through a long finish.
Flat Rock Cellars The Rogue Syrah 2011, Niagara ($35, 92 points) — A menacing looking Syrah made unfiltered and showing thick, dark juice that oozes smoky oak, grilled meats, plums, kirsch, cassis and an array of savoury spices on the nose. The meaty black fruits are joined by lavish spices, dried herbs and campfire smoke on the palate. A real treat.
Stratus Syrah 2010, Niagara ($48, 92 points) — This Syrah has a complex and gorgeous nose of cassis, earth, pepper, forest floor, bacon fat, sweet oak spices and black currants. It’s tight and highly structured on the palate with concentrated black fruits, roasted meats, cracked peppercorns, lovely cocoa, dusty tannins and length and power through the finish.
North Shore Project Syrah 2012, Lake Erie North Shore ($22, 91 points) — Textbook cool-climate Syrah with a nose of pepper, hickory smoke, savoury cherry, black currants and spiced grilled meat. It’s nicely balanced in the mouth with darker fruits, light oak spice, cracked black peppercorns and refreshing acidity. Touches of charcoal, tar and licorice add to the interest through the finish.
Muscedere Vineyards Syrah 2010, Lake Erie North Shore ($40, 91 points) — The nose shows boysenberry, plum pie, mocha-nutmeg spice, grilled meats, earth and stewed cherries. It has firm tannic structure with meaty-chewy fruits and peppery-spicy notes with a touch of anise on the smooth finish.
Viewpointe High Pointe Syrah 2007, Lake Erie North Shore ($23, 91 points) — A fully mature Syrah that is well integrated with aromas of deli meats, stewed plums, blueberries, fortified cherry and lavish spices. The bold and mature dark fruits are joined by lovely savoury pepper and spice notes and well-integrated tannins.
Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Syrah 2011, Niagara ($33, 91 points) — A nose of bold dark fruits, licorice, tar, grilled game, nutmeg, pepper and bramble. It’s lovely on the palate with robust dark fruits, savoury spices, bright acidity and ripe tannins.
Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Shiraz 2011, Niagara ($25, 91 points) — Winemaker Marco Piccoli excels with this variety he likes to craft in a Rhone style. The nose shows barnyard, earth, roasted meats, blackberries, currants, pepper and spice. It’s dark and savoury in the mouth with plush tannins, dark fruits, loam and delicious spice.
Lakeview Cellars Syrah Reserve 2010, Niagara ($30, 90 points) — Youthful and tight with plum, cherry-raspberry fruit, cocoa and black pepper notes on the nose. This is a robust and rich Syrah on the palate with ripe red fruits, savoury spices and good tannic structure.
13th Street Syrah 2011, Niagara ($30, 90 points) — The nose shows sweet red fruits, roasted deli meats, raspberry, currants, cracked black peppercorns and a lovely violet note. Shows wonderful freshness on the palate with harmonious red and dark fruits bolstered by pepper spice and gaminess.
Creekside Syrah 2012, Niagara ($17, 90 points) — As of the 2012 vintage, Creekside has changed the name to Syrah from Shiraz to better reflect the style more commonly associated with the Rhone. This is a bargain, a wonderful wine with blueberry, violets, currants, plums, game and defined spice on the nose. It’s well-structured and tasty with robust fruit flavours back up by savoury spices.
Rosehall Run ‘The Swinger’ Syrah Cuvee County 2011, Prince Edward County ($35, 89 points) — The nose is earthy with savoury cherry fruit, white pepper, raspberry and rousing roasted meat and spice notes. It is lighter in colour than you’d expect but surprisingly ripe and in the mouth with lovely texture and a balanced attack of spice.
Peninsula Ridge Reserve Syrah 2010, Niagara ($25, 89 points) — A Syrah defined by its smoky and savoury nose that works well with the dark berries, field raspberry and stewed herbs. This is a big, structured Syrah on the palate with meaty, smoky, bold and flavourful fruits on the palate.
Rockway Vineyards Small Lot Block 12-140 Syrah 2011, Niagara ($26, 89 points) — A rich nose of wild berries, cassis, tar, licorice and black pepper. This is a bold and assertive Syrah on the palate with dark fruits bolstered by savoury spices, well defined tannins and a smooth, long finish.
EastDell Black Label Shiraz 2011, Niagara ($20, 88 points) — A friendly Syrah with aromas of wildberries, plum and peppery spices. It’s soft on the palate with savoury red fruits, integrated spices and cedary-smoky notes through the smooth finish.
Note: This story was first published in Quench wine magazine
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