For the love of pasta and Arizona Syrah

"Syrah reminds me of the kind of guy who wears cowboy boots with a tuxedo. Rustic, manly, and yet elegant - that's Syrah." - Karen MacNeil, The Wine Bible.

I cannot think of a more perfect quote to describe my current wine obsession, Syrah, then the quip above.  Especially when you are talking about the Arizona version of my beloved grape. The wine I opened last night is a perfect example of a rugged yet elegant wine. That wine is Keeling-Schaefer's signature wine, Three Sisters Syrah, the perfect wine to enjoy during drink local week.

I visited this winery over the summer, so please check out my post to get the full scoop on this great southern Arizona winery.   It is well worth the four hour drive to visit this unique area of the state. However, if you are not up for a road trip, this Syrah is very easy to find, as they have good distribution.   I have seen it at Trader Joe's, Total Wine, AJ's Fine Foods, and Phoenix Public Market, and priced under $20.

I took one sip of the wine and was quickly reminded how much I love Syrah and more specifically Arizona Syrah.   All Arizona wines have a true sense of place, a unique quality that can only be found in our soil.   When you taste Arizona wine like our Syrah, you know you are getting a one-of-a-kind wine.   Most Arizona reds have a delicious chocolate undertone that is lip smacking and yummy, especially for chocolate lovers.   Actually, all wines that come from Willcox grapes seem to possess that quality.   Keeling-Schaefer's wines all have that big ripe, juicy fruit character going on, wrapped in a blanket of dark chocolate and rose pedals, which fancy way to call it tasty.   If you enjoy fruit forward character driven wines, than please seek out this winery.  You will not be disappointed.

Nothing goes better with Syrah than pasta and mushrooms, it brings out the warm and earthy flavors of both.   I found a super yummy sounding dish in one of my cookbooks, then modified it slightly and wow! This is a match made in culinary heaven!   The pairing thrilled me, especially since my last couple picks proved underwhelming.   This is comfort food that you could serve to the most yuppie of crowds and they would call you a genius. Super easy and super yummy!

Now that I got you salivating on the keyboard here are my tasting notes and my menu.

Keeling-Schaefer Vineyards Three Sisters Syrah 2009 Cochise County Arizona

I received this wine as a sample for the purpose of this blog.

This is a pull you in and beg to be drunk kinda wine, and the color is absolutely gorgeous. I normally don't comment on the color of the wine, even though I know it is important mainly because most people don't care about the color of the wine, just the taste. However, this wine had the most amazing deep, burgundy color that almost looked like a glass of blood, something vampire fans would appreciate!   Now back to the taste, this wine tasted just like it smelled, with big berry fruit, strawberry jam and cocoa powder. On first sip, the fruit exploded then mellowed out on the finish with a fun chocolate taste and texture. Enjoyable on its own and super amazing with the dinner. Yes, this is a magic pairing! Finally a home run, I've been only hitting base runs lately and a few strikeouts so it is so good to finally smash one out of the park. The wine shined with the roasted broccoli, and I am a huge broccoli fan, and this recipe is a must, so yummy!   With the pasta the wine sang on every note- really amazing.  If you are a mushroom and pasta fan this recipe is a must try!

For the recipes and the rest of the story please visit my blog.