Boom Boom Syrah 2016 by Charles Smith
You may know of famous winemaker Charles Smith. I reviewed his top-selling Substance Cabernet in December. Charles Smith has several brands including Charles Smith Wines. In 2016 Charles Smith sold Charles Smith Wines LLC to Constellation Brands for 120 million. A very big price tag for five popular wines. All with off-the-wall names like Boom Boom Syrah and Kung Fu Girl Riesling.
The back label reveals that the Boom Boom is Vinted & Bottled by Charles Smith Wines. What that means is unclear. The wine was not all made at the Charles Smith Winery. The wine may have been purchased in bulk from various places and then blended.
What we do know is that winemaker Charles Smith made this wine, because the vintage is 2016 and he sold the brand to Constellation in October of that year. Charles Smith continues to be the consulting winemaker for this label.
Tasting the Boom Boom Syrah
First, the name. What does Boom Boom mean? Does it mean a huge off-the-chart fruit bomb Syrah? Is the name Boom Boom meant to appeal to Millenials or Baby Boomers? It is interesting to see how many wild names are on wine labels these days.
On the nose, the aroma is modest but appealing, with a combination of red and dark fruit. The taste is quite moderate considering the label. I was expecting something more of a fruit bomb . It is a rather restrained Syrah. The finish is spicy. It is a young wine and probably will age nicely over the next few years.
The rating on the Boom Boom Syrah
The one factor in favor of the Boom Boom Syrah is where the grapes are grown. Washington State is fast becoming a Syrah capital. The majority of grapes are coming from the Columbia Valley. The desert climate and the long summer days of sunlight are producing some fabulous red wines, especially Syrah. Give it try.
Foods we like with the Boom Boom Syrah
- Chicken dishes – Roast Chicken, Zuni Cafe Chicken
- Big veggie soups – Minestrone
- Pork Tenderloin
- Pizzas – Mushroom or Fig & Goat Cheese
BevMo is no deal for real wine shoppers. You get ripped off because they often change their pricing and if you just pull a bottle off the shelf without regard to the price tag you get screwed . Wine buyers must stay vigilant and follow GCV.
I hadn’t been in a ‘BevMo’ in quite some time, but stopped by one recently to see if they had something I couldn’t find anywhere else.
The store is a shadow of what it was 15+ years ago, having reduced it’s ‘wine aisles’ to only a quarter of the floor space (used to look more like what Total Wine is ‘now’).
AND, the prices are noticeably higher than Total Wine’s or Costco’s… (so, no point in shopping there)
I feel the same. I will soon write an article comparing BevMo and Total Wines. Shocking!
Purchased a “Boom Boom” this week, and tried it with my Burger and ‘sweet potato’ french-fry meal.
It’s ‘passable’, but definitely ‘1 dimensional’. Not as ‘dark’ a flavor as the Syrah’s that I like…