I've had only a few Syrahs from Chile, and one winemaker has told me that while they have some great vines, they have problems selling it, and end up blending most of it into Cabs or other wines.
Well, the Veranda may not change that by itself, but it's a step in the right direction. Lots of bright raspberry and cherry flavors with undertones of dark fruit, along with a dose of vanilla and a nice bit of black pepper. If I didn't know better, I might have guessed that this was an Aussie Shiraz, perhaps from Heathcote. More elegant and a little lighter body than a Barrossa wine of this depth, but more spice than anything from the Limestone Coast area.
But there's a level of complexity that I've not found in any Aussie wine at this $18 price point; there's almost a little hint of Cote Rotie hiding behind the rich fruit (in a way, not surprising; many Chilean Syrahs are from cuttings from the upper Rhone valley). Like I'm finding in many better Chilean wines, this nicely bridges the gap between traditional Old World (French) wines and the typical New World (California or Australia) fruit bombs.
It does need some time to breath; I recommend using a Vinturi or decanting. Better yet, grab a few bottles and lay them down for a few years.
Serve this one with anything off the grill, from burgers to filet mignon. Or just have it by itself; it drinks great. I gave this 92 points, a level I don't often get to.
Very highly recommended
Sadly, when I went in to work today I decided to grab another bottle of this, and saw that the vintage has changed. I'll probably try the 2009 vintage in the near future.
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