Top 10 Syrah in the U.S.

"The feisty nature of this wine (from the Boushey Grande Cote and Ciel du Cheval vineyards) comes through in feral animal scents, a sweet rusticity of fruit restrained by oak, blackberry jam made severe by tannin. It's woosy, and continues to build in complexity as it takes on air. Age it, or decant a bottle for a country pork pate."

"The pure, lush fruit flavor of this syrah is all about deliciousness. There's nothing to provoke contemplation, just lively, dense fruit that costs from start to finish with brightness and simplicity. As these young (seven-year-old) syrah vines on Red Mountain send their roots deeper, they're likely to produce wines with more complexity than this coltish beauty. And even if they don't, it's easy to fall in love with a wine like this."