this week, we have tasted a flight of piedmontese wines against a flight of syrah and shiraz so that we can make the comparisons and highlight the differences.

this post is short as i just returned from italy and have much to catch up. for your more information on piedmont and syrah/shiraz, you can click here to get my notes on:

- piedmont and its terroir;

- syrah/shiraz grape characteristics.

as usual, our notes are made using the wset level (diploma) systematic approach to tasting and you can download the full notes by clicking on the link of each wine names. we only publish our conclusion.

marks & spencer chateau de surville costière de nîmes 2006:

acceptable entry-level wine – good complexity, concentration and depth of fruits on the nose, however surprisingly disappearing on the palate. slightly higher acidity in relation to tannins and fruit on the palate. short length.

bridgewater mill shiraz 2005:

good mid-level wine. good balance acidity, tannins, and alcohol well supported by good quality fruits on the palate. complex both on nose and palate, however elegant, and fine. very smooth. well made from quality fruits and techniques.

les launes crozes-hermitage 2006 – delas frères:

good mid-level wine – good intensity, complexity and balance of aromas and flavours between nose and palate. good balance of acidity, tannins, with alcohol and fruit. well made from good raw materials and wine making techniques. elegant & refined. firm tannins & quality fruit shows promise for ageing.

ceretto zonchera barolo 2004:

good mid-level wine – good complexity, and balance on and between nose and palate. acidity and firm tannin well supported by alcohol and fruit. good length and pleasant after-taste. careful if technical winemaking.

ceretto asij barbaresco 2005:

good mid-level wine – good complexity on nose and palate. light concentration of fruit. good balance of nose and palate as well, good fruit and high alcohol supports well the chewy tannins and high acidity. good and pleasant length of after-taste.

ceretto piana barbera d'alba 2006:

good mid-level wine. slightly more intense on palate than on nose showing good complexity and balanced alcohol and acidity & tannins. juicy and somewhat long on the after-taste. characteristic & pleasant barbera, well made from quality fruits to drink now.

all wines were bought at watson's wine cellars except the costière de nîmes which was bought at marks & spencer in central.