There are now some excellent Syrahs in Irish off-licences - if you know what to look for, writes Mary Dowey
What is the most fashionable red grape, the Kate Moss of wine? Syrah, aka Shiraz. It is popping up as a pin-up everywhere from Australia to Argentina, from California to the Cape. The strange thing is that in Ireland we're inclined to overlook the wines said to show it off in its purest, finest form.The famous northern Rhône appellations of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage use only one red grape - headily perfumed, spicy Syrah - to produce benchmark bottles. Also ranged along the river Rhône in its narrow upper stretch are the Syrah-focused regions of Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage and Cornas. Examples are lightly scattered across the Irish market, but you don't hear much oohing and aahing about them. We seem to prefer the richer, more alcoholic reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Côtes du Rhône villages further south, where Syrah plays a minor role in blends dominated by Grenache.
Now along comes Yves Cuilleron, a star northern Rhône producer, to make us think again. Cuilleron was guest of honour at a recent spring wine break at Kelly's Resort Hotel, in Rosslare. Enthusiastic and open-minded - acknowledging that great wines are being made all over the world: not a common French view 10 years ago - he typifies a winemaking generation that is sending positive ripples across the French wine scene.
Like many of France's other energetic new-wave producers, Cuilleron embraced the wine business not because of family expectations but because he suddenly discovered he wanted to. Trained as a mechanical engineer, he was completing his military service in 1985 when an uncle decided to sell his vineyards. Young Yves couldn't bear to see them go. "I decided to do a one-year winemaking course in Mâcon right away. Then I worked with my uncle in 1986 and started on my own in 1987, renting the vineyards at first." That initial plot was less than four hectares. Cuilleron now has more than 30.
With a base just five kilometres from Condrieu, he is famous for his rendering of the heady white wine of that appellation, made from the Viognier grape. Not much wonder: his Condrieu Le Vertige 2001, big-boned but fantastically refreshing, is one of the most remarkable expressions of Viognier I have come across. Also extraordinary are Cuilleron's white Saint-Josephs, made from either pure Marsanne or pure Roussanne.
These vibrant, mouth-filling whites pave the way for Cuilleron's super Syrahs. I am no expert on the northern Rhône - far from it - but it seems to me that his Saint-Josephs have a more seductive layer of fruit than many: the red wines of this appellation can be off-puttingly austere.
As for his Côte-Rôtie Bassenon 2000, 93 per cent Syrah and 7 per cent Viognier, the 2000 is fabulously hedonistic without strident oak; more meaningful than my scribbles about purity of flavour and refinement is the underlined phrase "worth drive to Wexford for this alone".
Besides working under his own name, he makes wines for the Vins de Vienne company with two friends who are also cutting-edge winemakers, Pierre Gaillard and François Villard. "The challenge is not to make the best wine - with technology we can do that now - but to make the most typical wine," Cuilleron says.
WHERE TO FIND CUILLERON'S WINES
Le Caveau in Kilkenny imports two Cuilleron vin de pays - our white bottle of the week (€13.45) and a Syrah 2002 (€12.45), both from the Collines Rhodaniennes in the northern Rhône - as well as Saint-Joseph Les Pierres Sèches 2001 (€21.50) and the gorgeous Côte-Rôtie Bassenon 2000 (€41.95). Buy them in the Le Caveau shop in Market Yard, Kilkenny (056-7752166), or order on www. lecaveau.ie. Le Caveau has slashed prices by 25 per cent on 35 wines (including some from top names such as Vincent Girardin and Joseph Roty in Burgundy and Alain Brumont in Madiran) and knocked 10-20 per cent off another 35 in a spring sale that runs until March 26th. The range is also stocked by the Celtic Whiskey Shop, in Dublin. Searsons imports three wines from Les Vins de Vienne. Especially appealing are the leather-scented Crozes-Hermitage 2002 (about €21.50) and the suave Saint-Joseph 2002 (about €23.50). From Searsons, Monkstown; Baily, Howth; Patrick Stewart, Sligo; DeVine Wines, Letterkenny.
STAR SYRAHS
Tyrrells Old Winery Shiraz 2002. A likeable, very well-made middleweight. From selected Superquinns; many SuperValus/Centras; Molloys; O'Briens; Martins, Fairview; Sweeneys, Dorset Street, Dublin; Macs, Limerick; O'Donovans, Cork; and other independents, €11.49-€11.99.
Fairview Shiraz, Paarl 1999. Full-blooded, mature South African Shiraz from Rhône fanatic Charles Back. From O'Briens; McCabes, Mount Merrion; Gables, Foxrock; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Champers, Limerick; and others, €13.95-€14.50.
Clos Mont Blanc Syrah, Conca de Barberá, Bodegas Concavins 2002 Spanish Syrah is rare enough, but this one is a beauty, perfumed and perky on the palate with layers of flavours that linger beguilingly. From Vaughan Johnson, Temple Bar and Haddington Road, Dublin; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Baily, Howth; On the Grapevine, Booterstown and Dalkey; Grape Escape, Lucan; Artisans, Athlone; about €15.95.
SUITS YOU, SYRAH
. . . roast or casseroled beef; peppered steak; spicy meat dishes; duck; game; liver; kidneys; turkey with trimmings; mature Cheddar or Manchego cheese.