I opened three very different wines from the same varietal last night
and all were quite good and very different from each other. One was
an Aussie Shiraz, one was a California Sirah and one was a French
Syrah.

1996 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle- Certainly the most balanced of
the bunch. Quite dark in the glass with the aroma of smoked bacon and
blackberries. Richly tannic and full of black fruits with a hint of
peppery spice finishing with a fair amount of acidity. B+ on the Dale
scale

1996 Sean Thackrey Orion Old Vines Syrah- Inky dark purple showing no
signs of age. Heavy aroma of over ripe peaches and black pepper notes
on the nose all wrapped around hints of vanilla and blueberry. Very
thick and tannic on the palate showing a ton of blackberry, blueberry
and some herbal notes of ganja. B+ on the Dale scale.

1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz. A bit lighter than the other
two . A reddish purple hue with the slightest amount of brick showing
through. A somewhat sweet nose of red raspberry and vanilla with a
touch of red meat. Very robust on the palate and again quite thick
and mouthcoating. Raspberry and black cherry with a slight minerality
on the finish. A on the Dale scale.

It was like comparing Clapton, Stevie Ray and Robert Cray......

On Mar 24, 3:36�pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
> I opened three very different wines from the same varietal last night
> and all were quite good and very different from each other. *One was
> an Aussie Shiraz, one was a California Sirah and one was a French
> Syrah.
>
> 1996 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle- Certainly the most balanced of
> the bunch. *Quite dark in the glass with the aroma of smoked bacon and
> blackberries. *Richly tannic and full of black fruits with a hint of
> peppery spice finishing with a fair amount of acidity. *B+ on the Dale
> scale
>
> 1996 Sean Thackrey Orion Old Vines Syrah- Inky dark purple showing no
> signs of age. *Heavy aroma of over ripe peaches and black pepper notes
> on the nose all wrapped around hints of vanilla and blueberry. *Very
> thick and tannic on the palate showing a ton of blackberry, blueberry
> and some herbal notes of ganja. *B+ on the Dale scale.
>
> 1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz. *A bit lighter than the other
> two . A reddish purple hue with the slightest amount of brick showing
> through. *A somewhat sweet nose of red raspberry and vanilla with a
> touch of red meat. *Very robust on the palate and again quite thick
> and mouthcoating. *Raspberry and black cherry with a slight minerality
> on the finish. A on the Dale scale.
>
> It was like comparing Clapton, Stevie Ray and Robert Cray......

In that order?

On Mar 25, 1:12?pm, "DaleW" > wrote:
> On Mar 24, 3:36?pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > I opened three very different wines from the same varietal last night
> > and all were quite good and very different from each other. ?One was
> > an Aussie Shiraz, one was a California Sirah and one was a French
> > Syrah.
>
> > 1996 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle- Certainly the most balanced of
> > the bunch. ?Quite dark in the glass with the aroma of smoked bacon and
> > blackberries. ?Richly tannic and full of black fruits with a hint of
> > peppery spice finishing with a fair amount of acidity. ?B+ on the Dale
> > scale
>
> > 1996 Sean Thackrey Orion Old Vines Syrah- Inky dark purple showing no
> > signs of age. ?Heavy aroma of over ripe peaches and black pepper notes
> > on the nose all wrapped around hints of vanilla and blueberry. ?Very
> > thick and tannic on the palate showing a ton of blackberry, blueberry
> > and some herbal notes of ganja. ?B+ on the Dale scale.
>
> > 1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz. ?A bit lighter than the other
> > two . A reddish purple hue with the slightest amount of brick showing
> > through. ?A somewhat sweet nose of red raspberry and vanilla with a
> > touch of red meat. ?Very robust on the palate and again quite thick
> > and mouthcoating. ?Raspberry and black cherry with a slight minerality
> > on the finish. A on the Dale scale.
>
> > It was like comparing Clapton, Stevie Ray and Robert Cray......
>
> In that order? - Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Yes, I think in that order. The Hermitage was classic, old world,
everything was in order and well controlled yet there was a lot of
compression in the nuances pumping up the volume. The Orion was HUGE,
large tones and overflowing with outrageous fullness. The Astralis
was classy and complex yet still visceral and each note was perfect in
the context of the wine.

On Mar 25, 1:58�pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
> On Mar 25, 1:12?pm, "DaleW" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 24, 3:36?pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>
> > > I opened three very different wines from the same varietal last night
> > > and all were quite good and very different from each other. ?One was
> > > an Aussie Shiraz, one was a California Sirah and one was a French
> > > Syrah.
>
> > > 1996 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle- Certainly the most balanced of
> > > the bunch. ?Quite dark in the glass with the aroma of smoked bacon and
> > > blackberries. ?Richly tannic and full of black fruits with a hint of
> > > peppery spice finishing with a fair amount of acidity. ?B+ on the Dale
> > > scale
>
> > > 1996 Sean Thackrey Orion Old Vines Syrah- Inky dark purple showing no
> > > signs of age. ?Heavy aroma of over ripe peaches and black pepper notes
> > > on the nose all wrapped around hints of vanilla and blueberry. ?Very
> > > thick and tannic on the palate showing a ton of blackberry, blueberry
> > > and some herbal notes of ganja. ?B+ on the Dale scale.
>
> > > 1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz. ?A bit lighter than the other
> > > two . A reddish purple hue with the slightest amount of brick showing
> > > through. ?A somewhat sweet nose of red raspberry and vanilla with a
> > > touch of red meat. ?Very robust on the palate and again quite thick
> > > and mouthcoating. ?Raspberry and black cherry with a slight minerality
> > > on the finish. A on the Dale scale.
>
> > > It was like comparing Clapton, Stevie Ray and Robert Cray......
>
> > In that order? - Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Yes, I think in that order. *The Hermitage was classic, old world,
> everything was in order and well controlled yet there was a lot of
> compression in the nuances pumping up the volume. *The Orion was HUGE,
> large tones and overflowing with outrageous fullness. *The Astralis
> was classy and complex yet still visceral and each note was perfect in
> the context of the wine.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

So:
Clapton = Jaboulet Hermitage
Stevie Ray = Thackeray Orion
Robert Cray= Astralis

then I guess
JJ Cale= Graillot Crozes (not a major player, but fits its niche)
Mark Knopfler = ESJ (idiosyncratic style)
Eric Johnson = Chave Offerus technically perfect, maybe a tad too
polished
But do you consider Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, or Buddy Guy = Chave
Hermitage ? What CDA Syrah is Santana?

David Gilmour would have be a Pinot Noir, I'm afraid

On Mar 26, 11:05�am, "DaleW" > wrote:
> On Mar 25, 1:58?pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Mar 25, 1:12?pm, "DaleW" > wrote:
>
> > > On Mar 24, 3:36?pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>
> > > > I opened three very different wines from the same varietal last night
> > > > and all were quite good and very different from each other. ?One was
> > > > an Aussie Shiraz, one was a California Sirah and one was a French
> > > > Syrah.
>
> > > > 1996 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle- Certainly the most balanced of
> > > > the bunch. ?Quite dark in the glass with the aroma of smoked bacon and
> > > > blackberries. ?Richly tannic and full of black fruits with a hint of
> > > > peppery spice finishing with a fair amount of acidity. ?B+ on the Dale
> > > > scale
>
> > > > 1996 Sean Thackrey Orion Old Vines Syrah- Inky dark purple showing no
> > > > signs of age. ?Heavy aroma of over ripe peaches and black pepper notes
> > > > on the nose all wrapped around hints of vanilla and blueberry. ?Very
> > > > thick and tannic on the palate showing a ton of blackberry, blueberry
> > > > and some herbal notes of ganja. ?B+ on the Dale scale.
>
> > > > 1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz. ?A bit lighter than the other
> > > > two . A reddish purple hue with the slightest amount of brick showing
> > > > through. ?A somewhat sweet nose of red raspberry and vanilla with a
> > > > touch of red meat. ?Very robust on the palate and again quite thick
> > > > and mouthcoating. ?Raspberry and black cherry with a slight minerality
> > > > on the finish. A on the Dale scale.
>
> > > > It was like comparing Clapton, Stevie Ray and Robert Cray......
>
> > > In that order? - Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > Yes, I think in that order. ?The Hermitage was classic, old world,
> > everything was in order and well controlled yet there was a lot of
> > compression in the nuances pumping up the volume. ?The Orion was HUGE,
> > large tones and overflowing with outrageous fullness. ?The Astralis
> > was classy and complex yet still visceral and each note was perfect in
> > the context of the wine.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> So:
> Clapton = Jaboulet Hermitage
> Stevie Ray = Thackeray Orion
> Robert Cray= Astralis
>

Yes

> then I guess
> JJ Cale= Graillot Crozes (not a major player, but fits its niche)
> Mark Knopfler = ESJ (idiosyncratic style)
> Eric Johnson = Chave Offerus technically perfect, maybe a tad too
> polished

Perfect, especially the Eric Johnson analogy!

> But do you consider Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, or Buddy Guy *= Chave
> Hermitage ?

It's got to be Buddy Guy. Jet black with massive porportion (his
playing not his size) and a toughness to the structure that never
really mellows with age.


What CDA Syrah is Santana?

I think Santana is more CNP, a melange of flavors pulled together into
a smooth seductive package.
>
> David Gilmour would have be a Pinot Noir, I'm afraid-

Perhaps a Kistler?
>
> - Show quoted text -