Syrah Masters 2017: the results in full

What did the judges think?

Patricia Stefanowicz MW

As always, judging the Syrah Masters is a highlight of the year and the 2017 edition was no exception. The overall quality of the wines from inexpensive to stratospherically expensive was remarkably high. There were very few wines that one would ‘chuck into a flower pot’, a confirmation of the distinctive black-and-red fruits and black pepper attributes of this marvellous grape variety.

The excitement in 2017 were the Australian Shiraz wines. It is superb that the Aussies are keeping all that lovely blueberry, blackfruit and black pepper, but toning down the high alcohol and the American vanilla and chocolate oak. Elegance seems to be on the rise with delicious freshness and supple tannins in exquisite balance with concentrated flavour. Alcohol levels also seem to be a little lower and in balance with fruit, oak and structure. Yummy, whether Barossa, Mclaren Vale or elsewhere in Australia.

If there were a minor disappointment, it was the almost overly herbal/green features in many wines from Chile, where producers really must find an appropriate terroir with the attributes that produce excellent Syrah grapes. Too, it was a shame we didn’t see more wines from the Rhône or south of France, because the few we tried were very drinkable and would be flexible with many different foods.

There were fewer South African wines with the burnt and charred meat characteristics of yesteryear, and the best examples from South Africa appeared delightful and well-balanced.

One surprise was a super Syrah from Turkey, at a price most wine-lovers can afford. There were also a couple of excellent examples from northern Spain, where the climate and soils seem to suit Syrah.