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Harbes Vineyard Syrah

Harbes Vineyard 2014 Syrah. (Credit: Lenn Thompson)

Harbes Vineyard Syrah

Merlot. Cabernet Franc. Merlot. Cabernet Franc. Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot. Red blend.

That’s the reality of most local red wine, and while a lot of it is good, even the most die-hard Long Island wine lover wants something a little different — at least occasionally. There’s other stuff out here, but a lot of it isn’t particularly interesting.

It won’t be released until spring, but Harbes Vineyard 2014 Syrah is a nice change for folks suffering from typically Long Island red fatigue.

Made from syrah grown in Southold at Onabay Vineyard, this is actually a blend of 78% syrah, 15% estate grown merlot and 7% petit verdot (also grown at Onabay). The syrah component was aged in 2nd-year French Oak barrels for 16 months before being blended with the other components. 130 cases were made.

Right out of the bottle, it starts with some light floral notes to go along with blueberries, blackberries, toasty vanilla and subtle white pepper notes. Those peppery notes become a bit more pronounced as the wine sits in the glass for a while.

Mouth-filling (13.7% ABV) but softened a bit by that merlot, the palate is round but fresh with a nice balance between bright fruit flavors, spice and vanilla. I think it’d work well with various red meat applications. Burgerse or roast beef come to mind.

This wine will be available for $32 in the Harbes tasting barn this spring.

Lenn Thompson

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