What: Syrah is an interesting wine that isn’t as well known as it should be. Many people think of it as a masculine, rugged wine, yet it can be elegant and refined.
The Hooker Syrah shows both ends of that taste spectrum. We had it with some friends during a getaway to the North Carolina mountains, and we thought it was spectacular.
Sitting on the porch looking out at the gorgeous mountains while sipping this muscular wine was a grand feeling. This clearly was a wine meant to provoke deep thoughts.
As we poured the wine, powerful aromas of blackberry, black pepper and spice filled the air. With each sip the wine got better and better. I tasted blackberry pie, spices and a hint of leather. It was smooth and velvety, but there was plenty of backbone. It is not a wimpy wine.
It’s a medium-dry wine with a touch of jam and muted tannins. The Home Pitch Syrah is made from 100% Syrah grapes grown in Knights Valley in Sonoma County.
The wine is aged 18 months in 75% new French Oak.
The wine went well with the cheese and nuts we munched on, but it went even better with the conversation. Teri and I were there with two other couples, and the next day two more couples joined us.
I got to know the first two couples on a trip to Napa Valley I made with them and two other friends nearly three years ago. We had a blast going from winery to winery in a limousine by day and eating at great restaurants at night. Over one too many bottles of wine we called ourselves the Magnificent Seven. (There were three couples and me. I was unmarried at the time.)
We got to know each other better at various outings over the years on cruises, beach trips, golf, concerts and wine tastings. Then Teri came along. After a rigorous apprenticeship and a big vote, she was accepted and we became the Magnificent Eight.
Sitting on that mountain porch brought back many warm memories I have made with these folks in three short years. The elegant wine also got my mind drifting and thinking about the good times ahead. Friendships are important, and they don’t happen without some work and nurturing. Wine also is a great social lubricant to move the process along.
So we sipped and sat and sipped and rocked and realized how great a gift we have in the beautiful world God has given us, and how great a gift we have in our friendship.
From: Knights Valley
Winery: Betsy and David Lawer founded Lawer Family Wines 10 years ago, creating the Hooker label to honor the sport of rugby. Both David and Betsy’s father played the important hooker position in college, David at Duke and Betsy’s father at Stanford. The hooker often handles the ball and has to make quick decisions about whether to run, pass or kick it.
The winery has several vineyards in Napa and Sonoma. It concentrates on growing and selecting the best grapes, using The Ranch winery for everything from crush to bottling.
There are three other Hooker wines, Breakaway Chardonnay, Old Boys Cabernet Sauvignon and Blind Side Zinfandel. Each is named with a rugby term. The home pitch is the home field of play for rugby. This wine comes from the winery’s estate grapes.
Lawer Family Wines also produces wine under the Three Coins and Duck Shack labels.
The winery also offers vacation rentals in the heart of its vineyards in Calistoga in the northern end of Napa Valley.
The Lawers obviously have a sense a humor, as evidenced by the name on the label. On the back label they also include this limerick:
There once was a Hooker named Dave,
Who kept his wine in a cave.
It fermented a bit.
Then he let it sit.
Now his wine’s become all the rave!
Cost: $23-25
Year: 2010
Goes with: In the mountains we had the wine with cheese and nuts, but it would be much better with a fine meal, such as beef burgundy, beef stew, grilled meats or duck.
The winery offers this recipe as the perfect match for its Syrah. I haven’t tried it yet, but intend to do so soon.
Marinated Flank Steak
Ingredients:
Flank Steak, about 20-24 oz.
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
Garlic, to taste
Chopped onion, to taste
Chopped fresh rosemary, to taste
Worchestershire Sauce, to taste
Instructions: Mix all of the ingredients and pour into zip lock freezer bag with the flank steak to marinate. Seal and tumble to coat. Allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours, tipping the meat once to ensure all sides are evenly coated. Grill the
flank steak on the barbecue, approximately 5 minutes per side.
Take the meat off the grill and slice in thin strips, cutting across the grain. Serve with rosemary potatoes, grilled vegetables and Hooker Home Pitch Syrah. Serves 4.
