The Natura Syrah 2013 is 100% Syrah and 100% organic sourced from vineyards in the Rapel Valley inside the Central Valley of Chile. The Rapel Valley growing area is includes the Cachapoal Valley and the Colchagua Valley and is one of the larger grape producing regions in Chile.. The Natura label is the everyday wine brand for Emiliana Organic Vineyards, a family owned winery and vineyards that converted to organic and bio-dynamic farming in the 1990s. This Syrah is mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel vats, but 20% of the wine is aged in French oak barrels for 6 months. That will allow this Syrah to be bright and fruit-forward, while giving it a bit of tannins from the oak for structure, along with a little spice and other oak flavors. The Natura is a “drink it now” wine, it is ready to go right today, putting it away for a few years won’t add much. The alcohol content is 14%.
The color is a dark, but still see-thru, black cherry red. The nose is dark berries, plums, black pepper, chocolate powder and raspberry. This Syrah is medium bodied, dry with an appealing mix of soft ripe fruit and a slap of complex spice. It starts with cherry, a hint of dark chocolate, ripe raspberry and plum. The mid-palate brings pepper, a little exotic spice and a late cooling splash of blueberry. There is a slight pull from the tannins, not too much, just enough to add structure and the acidity is well-integrated with the body of the wine. The finish starts strong and slowly fades away.
The Natura Syrah 2013 is organic, affordable (average price on the web was $11, but should be available when on sale for under $10) and a pretty solid bottle of wine. It has the balance, structure and flavor to do well as a food wine and has the bright fresh fruit with a little complexity to drink very nicely on its own. A tasty organic wine priced less than a bunch of organic grapes at Whole Foods is a wonderful thing.
