Wine Of The Week: Trapiche Iscay Syrah—Viognier

This succulent blend comes from fermenting Syrah and Viognier in new French oak.

In France’s Northern Rhone Valley, a dash of Viognier is added to Syrah wines for a number of reasons. It stabilizes the color of Syrah, softens the tannins, and adds a lush, floral note to the nose. 

And while the Trapiche Iscay Syrah—Viognier isn’t made on the steep slopes of the Côte du Rhône, it certainly has the softness and silkiness younger wines from the roasted coast offer. 

Welcome to Argentina, where this Rhone-ish mine is made with mainly Syrah and a touch of Viognier. The blend comes from fermenting Syrah and Viognier in new French oak before further aging for 15 months in similarly new French oak.

For a Syrah, it’s light on its feet — floral and silky on the palate with notes of white pepper, blackberry, and long, soft tannins. $80

Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained sommelier and spirits writer. Her work has appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.