Simply Delicious Syrah

Syrah is one of my favorite grapes, as most regular readers know. Finding a good, affordable bottle can be a challenge, however, because a lot of Syrah out there today is overproduced and not terribly impressive. Syrah should have some recognizable characteristics, like blackberry fruit flavors, spicy notes of black pepper and clove, and perhaps some cedar and licorice, too.

I've just had a wonderful bottle of Syrah made in Australia from fruit picked on South Australia's Limestone Coast: the very good QPR 2007 Greg Norman Estates Shiraz. (suggested retail $15; available for $9-$20) It has delectable plum and characteristic blackberry aromas. Smooth, chalky tannins give the pomegranate and blackberry flavors some grip. There are allspice and clove notes in the aftertaste, too. This nicely-balanced, fruit-forward Shiraz does not match a Barossa Shiraz in terms of overpowering intensity, but is more food-friendly as a result.

This would be excellent with lamb, roasted chicken, roast beef, or pork as well as vegetarian entrees involving cheese, eggplant, or mushrooms. We had it with some lemony Moroccan lamb sausages and a salad and it was heavenly. The berry fruit played nicely off the earthiness of the lamb and the Moroccan spices blended with the allspice and clove elements of the wine.

Full Disclosure: I received a sample of this wine for review.

The Great Australian Riesling Roundup

Time for a roundup of Rieslings to put some zip into your summer. When July turns into August, I always start hankering for some boiled spicy shrimp or a garlic and lemon marinated chicken to break up the BBQ sauce, hot dogs, and steaks that many of us have been indulging in since Memorial Day. If this is how you are feeling, there's nothing better to pair with these lively, vibrant summer alternatives than Riesling. And Australian Rieslings seem ideally suited to the warm temperatures and outdoor dining that dominate this part of the year.

Here are my recommendations, culled from Australian Rieslings I've enjoyed lately:

The 2008 Plantagenet Riesling is a very dry wine with aromas of petrol, lemon pith, and apple peel. (suggested retail $20; available for $13-$21) The flavors are a bit rounder--more like Granny Smith apples and litchi--but they remain dry. Excellent with seafood. Very good QPR, for this classically tasty wine.

Despite its name, 2009 Frisk Riesling "Prickly" isn't prickly at all. (suggested retail $10; available for $9-$13) Instead, it's a simple Riesling with a touch of spritz and lively, slightly sweet apple flavors. Far less dry than either of the bottles here, this would be a good pick for sipping on the back patio with some hors d'oeuvres or for pairing with very spicy food. Very good QPR.

With the 2008 d'Arenberg Riesling The Dry Dam we're back to a wine that is dry and elegant, with similar petroleum and green apple aromas. (suggested retail $16; available from $9-$18)The flavors are dominated by green apple this time, and more petroleum sneaks in to the aftertaste. Nice for the price, and widely available. Very good QPR.

Full Disclosure: I received these bottles as samples.

Friday Nights IN: Steak House at Your House

Friday Nights IN is a regular feature at GWU$20 that's intended to trim a few dollars from your entertaining budget by replacing a meal out with a meal in. Some suggestions are dinners for four, six, eight, or even ten. Some are for romantic dinners for two. And some suggestions are perfect for when you need time to yourself!

There is no meal idea greeted more warmly in my house than "Steak House at Our House." For a fraction of the cost involved in going out to a nice steakhouse, you can have a splendid feast at home. And of course nothing goes as well with steak as a juicy, red wine.

The Recipe: this is less a recipe than a list of shopping suggestions, which you should scale according to how many people will be joining you for dinner.

Steak--about 6 oz per person. We prefer New York cuts or rib eyes, but whatever you like to eat is of course fine. Grilled, broiled, or pan-fried, the steak will make the most carnivorous guests happy.

Potatoes--we either eat a baked potato, done properly, in the oven with sour cream and chives, or I heat up some frozen Alexia Sweet Potato Fries. It is a draw in our house which is better, although at the moment the verdict is tipping towards the fries.

Sides--this is really up to you but some of the sides we enjoy are sliced tomatoes and red onions sprinkled with some balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper; grilled asparagus; sauteed mushrooms; and green beans. Plan on at least one side, but two side dishes never seems to cause complaint.

Salad--if ever there was a moment for iceberg lettuce, this is it. Serve wedges of iceberg lettuce and an appropriately 1970s salad dressing like Thousand Island, Blue Cheese, or Green Goddess. If you must be trendy, go with a simple toss of baby arugula with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. And if you really have to do it, Caesar Salad will also work but I think it's a bit much with everything else in this dinner.

The Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic choice here, but it can be difficult to find a truly affordable Cabernet that is drinkable straight out of the bottle without any aging or fooling around with decanters. Instead, try a Cabernet Sauvignon blend like the 2006 Wolf Blass Shiraz-Cabernet (sample; available for $8-$14). When you blend some Syrah (43%) into the Cabernet (57%), you get a very good QPR wine that is lush and bright straight out of the bottle. This blend is distinctive for its pronounced aromas of eucalyptus, mint, and red fruits. The flavors are in the bright, red category (pomegranate and cranberry), accompanied by some chalky mineral notes. There is a freshly mint and herbal aftertaste.

The wine will be perfect with the rich, full-bodied meat and the variety of side dishes that you prepare to go with it. Enjoy!