Review of Wedding Oak Winery Syrah Reserve 2013

We received the product for review and all opinions are our own.

Of all the exciting wine chants out there, “Hoorah for Syrah” is by far one of my favorites! Whether an Australian Shiraz, a French Syrah, or a Syrah grown right here in the Lone Star State, berries with intense color and bold flavor are typically sure to ensue. Syrah is one of those grapes that offers deep, dark berry flavors, with spicy pepper and a gamey finish to boot. Muscular tannins and a firm backbone are also anticipated when one cracks open a bottle of Syrah.

We recently received a bottle of 2013 Syrah Reserve from Wedding Oak Winery for review, and I was really excited to taste this recent offering from the San Saba winery with Penny Adams at the helm in the cellar. Once the cork is removed, this wine pours into the glass a deep garnet, with a very slight rim variation. I noticed quite a bit of fine sediment over most of the neck of the bottle, which I found odd for a 2013 vintage. The nose is very stemmy and green, with hints of red cherries. The palate is dominated by red fruit, but it is slightly soured to me, like underripe fruit. The mouthfeel is medium to full and the finish is semi-lengthy. Unfortunately, this particular bottle of wine left me wanting more. I have tasted so many great wines from Wedding Oak, but this wine is sadly not one of them.

Specifications:

• Wedding Oak Winery Syrah Reserve, 2013 vintage
• Winemaker: Penny Adams
• Appellation: Texas, Texas Hill Country AVA, Tio Pancho Ranch Vineyard
• Grape Varieties: 77% Syrah, 23% Tannat
• Barrels: 18 months in neutral French oak barrels
• Clarity/brightness: Mostly clear, but with moderate gritty sediment. No evidence of gas.
• Tannins: Medium
• Acidity: Medium
• Alcohol: Medium
• Finish: Medium
• Alcohol by volume: 13.6%
• Cases produced: 158
• Retail price: $34.00 at the time of review

As with anything in life, not every wine gets rave reviews. I have the utmost respect for the Wedding Oak team and I consider them friends, but in this situation, I just cannot recommend this wine to our readers. I look forward to tasting more of the new releases from Wedding Oak Winery very soon as I have several more bottles in the cellar, and I am sure I will find a bottle that pleases the palate.

Sip, savor, and enjoy my fellow aficionados.