Down Under in Brooklyn

Wine Blogging Wednesday is again upon us, a bit earlier this month because of a few holiday Wednesdays later in the month. WBW is Lenn's baby - he got it all started over two years ago now. Lenn has a brand new baby, by the way, and this may or may not impede his ability to participate in WBW this month. We'll see...

Tim at Winecast is hosting this month, and new world Syrah is his theme of choice. I have little experience with Syrah, and I don't drink much new world wine, other than Oregon Pinot Noir. When I start to explore wine made from a grape that is unfamiliar to me, I usually begin with the classics, the old world versions. I began to explore a bit with a couple of bottles from Cornas, the famous Northern Rhone appellation, but really I have no context in which to frame my tastings. The theme this month offers a great learning opportunity for me.

So it was with an intrepid spirit and good cheer that I set out to taste a new world Syrah for WBW #30. I decided to make a night of it - go Down Under in Brooklyn. Why not crack open a bottle of that Two Hands Shiraz that everyone raves about in their Cellar Tracker notes, and how about a roast leg of Aussie grass fed lamb to go with it?

First, the lamb. I really went for it, buying and roasting the whole leg. No one came for dinner, and BrooklynLady was 9 months pregnant and could eat only small amounts at a time. Leftover lamb happens to be a favorite of mine though. Something about the cool to room temperature herbal, salty, and gamy slices...I can pick them out of the fridge and start munching, any time of day.

I figured that the wine would be big and fruity, maybe with some sweetness to it, so I decided to marinate the lamb with something salty and savory to create a bit of contrast. I used a mortar and pestle to pound three anchovy fillets, about a tablespoon of fresh rosemary needles, and a large garlic clove into a paste. Transferred that to a bowl and whisked in some good extra virgin olive oil. Rubbed this all over the lamb, massaging it in like you would your pregnant wife's feet, and let it sit for about two hours.

Side dishes: a mix of sweet and savory again. Sweet: butternut squash, pan roasted at low enough heat so as not to brown, with some butter and brown sugar, then pureed with a little whole milk and salt. Savory - a green salad made with Romaine lettuce hearts and Persian cucumbers - the un-waxed skinny and long ones with a high meat to water ratio - they're bitter and crisp. Dressed with a simple vinaigrette that began with anchovies, again pounded with garlic, some Dijon mustard, and then the vinegar and good olive oil.

You say it's geeky of me to echo the anchovy thing in the salad dressing? So what? There are only so many things in life I care to obsess about, and the war in Iraq is not one of them. Neither is global warming, nor is my current "job," the crap I do to get a paycheck. So can't you just let me have my matching marinade and salad dressing anchovy geek out, please?

The lamb came out lookin' good and I let her rest under tin foil for about 20 minutes. Served with the squash and salad YUM. I cannot say that I have ever worked with better quality lamb. Good fat layer, but no big fatty deposits inside the leg, beautiful gamy rich flavor, and a minerally freshness - it's grass-fed.

About 2 hours prior I opened and decanted a bottle of 2004 Two Hands Shiraz Lily's Garden, $42. Two Hands, located in the Barossa Valley of South Australia, produces many different wines, but I believe is known for their McLaren Vale Shiraz. As I said before, I have no context for tasting this wine - no experience with Aussie Shiraz (other than a few bottles of inexpensive stuff that I thought was just too sweet and alcohol driven), and little experience with Syrah, period. So take my notes with a grain of salt.

2004 Two Hands Shiraz Lily's Garden
Inky purple. Nice aromas of dark fruit, rosemary, and an iron, blood like smell. These aromas, while lovely, were somewhat fleeting, as there was also a prominent alcohol heat that pushed them aside. Hard not to, I guess, at 14.5%. Two hours later, by the way, the herbal and metal aromas were more reserved, and the fruit and heat more prominent. Very interesting palate of juicy red and black fruit, black licorice, and raisins, with pretty good acidity. A big and powerful wine, even on the finish.

It did pair well with the lamb, and yes, the palate was interesting. But only in an intellectual way, not for me in the emotional way that I usually react to a wine that I love. in other words, I recognize that this is quality juice, and that it might even stand out among wines of this style. It's not a style that I favor, because it is so overwhelming, such a bully on the table. I can't imagine sitting around chatting and sipping this wine - too big and too much alcohol. But even gamy roast lamb with anchovy paste was having a hard time competing. And by the way, the critics all loved this wine, rating it between 91 and 94, and the folks on Cellar Tracker rave about it - tasting notes praise the lavish fruit and texture, the community average rating is 92. So what do I know...

I am certainly open to suggestions from you Aussies about other pairings (I still have one more bottle), or about similar wines so I can learn more about the style. And big thanks to Tim at Winecast for hosting this month's WBW.