Pierrick Harang - Cuvée Balthazar Syrah

Classification: IGP

Year: 2015

Alcohol: 13.5%

Grapes: 100% Syrah

This bottle had strong scents of chocolate and liquorice upon opening it. Very light scents of sweet fruits, but the chocolate and liquorice flavours are quite dominating. The initial tastes are fairly earthy and fresh, and a tad oaky. Minerals, liquorice, vanilla, chocolate, and hints of tobacco are flavours that come to mind. Very light hints of dark berries at the end, like blueberry and plumb, that give a needed sweetness to these oaky and earthy tastes, but this one leans more to the oaky/earthy side than the sweeter side. Despite the flavours leaning more towards the oaky/earthy side, the body to this one is quite light and easy to pound back. Perhaps a bit too light. The inbalance of some of these flavours gives it a bit of a watered down feel. The finish to this one is decently smooth. A tad on the smoky and spicy side, but not much of any lingering aftertaste that makes you want more.

This is another decent "okay" wine. There's definitely a good range of flavours to be had and felt, but they don't stand out as well and don't have much of a lasting impact from start to finish. I've had other wines that had similar flavours but had more fuller and distinct feel. A big plus is that this one is fairly easy to pound back, so that and having some taste makes it worth while and may suit you if this sounds like your kind of wine. However, if you're looking for a bottle that has more distinct flavours, or anything with a good strong aftertaste, then you may want to look elsewhere.

Pairings: This one would go great with some heavier meats like smoked brisket, lamb, or grilled beef. The oaky/earthy notes would also compliment some nice light and slighty spicy appetizers.

Overall Rating: 3 Languedoc Crosses out of 5

Where To Get: https://www.liquorconnect.com/Products/Stores/743747