A Syrah for Summer: Domaine Saint Francois

Pris and I keep reading about how Syrah and Rieslings are perfect for summer drinking, but we don't really drink too much of either of these wines.  Its something of a shame too considering our summer weather usually lasts almost 6 months.  However, we decided to rectify that a bit on Tuesday and open up a bottle of Domaine Saint Francois 2010 Syrah from the Wall Street Journal Wine Club.

This particular Syrah was far lighter and fruitier than most of the other Syrahs we've had.  The nose was light with lots of crisp red fruit.  The Saint Francois was almost effervescent on the palate, which isn't an easy thing for a red wine.  Light fruit and spice meld nicely as this wine travels through the mouth.  After being open a couple days, but sealed with a vacuum top, this wine really opened up.  Its was far fuller with a more mature flavor.  The Saint Francois ends with a nice long finish that lingers subtlety in the back of the mouth, not overpowering, but you know its there.

We paired the Domaine Saint Francois with oven "fried" chicken; broccoli/carrot slaw; and mashed potatoes with crème fraiche and sautéed shallots.  The wine was a good choice for the meal.  The lightness of the wine cut through the richness of the breading and the heaviness of the potatoes.  It was a good compliment to the slaw which was well seasoned with apple cider vinegar.  The sweet fruit and sour slaw worked very well together. 

I wish the wine had reached the same taste level that first night as it did a couple days later.  But that's our fault for not using a decanter.  We did use our aerator, but its not the same.  So if you get this wine and its too fruity, let it set a day.  Or use a decanter and let it breathe for a few hours before serving.

The 2010 Domaine Saint Francois Syrah is $13 at the Wall Street Journal Wine Club site.  If you like your Syrah light and fruity then order some, open it up and go to town.  If you like your Syrah a bit fuller then still order, but let it breathe deeply before drinking.  You can find out more about this Syrah at: http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod380091