Is ‘Regionality’ a ‘Reality?’ Part 2
21st March 2008
This is the second half of the email regarding the concept of ‘regionality.’ Before going there, I do wish to say that the term ‘regionality’ has validity, but in a very broad context. We had a winemaker’s dinner last night at Brasa, one of Seattle’s fine restaurants. Dick Boushey, Boushey Vineyards, was the featured guest, and we paired wines produced from his vineyards, both the ‘Grande Cote’ syrah, and our new plantings of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne and Picpoul, all of which comprise a white wine we call ‘Sirocco Blanc.’ Hats off to Tablas Creek, once again! 
One guest at the dinner claimed that he could clearly differentiate a Washington syrah from a California syrah, and that he had done so in a number of blind tastings. Well, I can’t deny his ‘reality’ can I? But given half the chance, I bet I could do a pretty good job of challenging his palate.
I would certainly offer that syrah produced in France is a different wine than that of the U.S. West Coast, and I’ve rarely had difficulty in identifying one from the other. But those are essentially global, not what I would consider a matter of regionality. To me, the California Central Coast is a true region as opposed to, say, the regions of Carneros or Dry Creek. Are there clearly identifiable characteristics such that one can unequivically say, “Yes, this is Dry Creek syrah, not Santa Maria?” To those who can, I’m definately in awe! Maybe I need a wee bit of Blanton’s whiskey to sharpen my sensory skills.
PART 2
I’m more of an advocate of what I indicated in the second paragraph. Given that the vine is planted in a viable location, I firmly believe that the real magic is far more about viticulture and the specific mesoclimate of the vineyard. That is not to say certain vineyards don’t have greater advantages over others, they do!
I have never attempted to produce a “type” of syrah, but rather to bring out the very essence of the vineyard. There’s no doubt in my mind that the material we begin with totally underpins the eventual quality of the wine. Certainly there are winemaking techniques that can affect the ultimate product and style. However, that only goes so far without having outstanding grapes in the winery.
Each of our vineyards is a world unto itself, essentially void of anything greater than it’s given properties. Believe me, they are rare and hard to find. When our Boushey ‘Grande Cote’ syrah is confused in a blind tasting with a Cote Rotie, aspects of regionality are significantly diminished, but the vineyard’s qualities are undeniable.
Then there’s the influence of winemaking, including style and choice of oak. In a blind tasting of 20 syrahs a few years past, our ‘Amerique’ (all American oak) was totally mistaken by the group of around 15 people for an Australian Shiraz. Most thought it was Penfolds.
In summary, I believe that regionality (as a determinate regarding the characteristics of syrah) is potentially misleading, often over-emphasized, and may diffuse the most critical criteria of understanding the grape. It’s probably more important to emphasize that Washington State is a very fine place to grow syrah. From a geographical perspective, this would include aspects such as our extreme latitude, desert climate, volcanic soils, sparce rainfall, own-rooted vines, etc.
It’s difficult to say whether syrah exemplifies any kind of regional typicity that would unquestionably identify it as “Washington.” What is unquestionable is that in a handfull of instances Washington syrahs are among the finest in the world.
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