Unbelievable

[dananne]

Just to throw my .02 in, and admittedly doing it without all the facts, I think the following:

1. If the Syrah was being blended into Cab Franc to make a differently styled wine and/or using the appellation, then it'd be wrong.

2. I understand that they've had a long time to figure out what works and what doesn't in each of their appellations, and that the appellations are in place to provide not only consistency, but also ensure a genuine product.

3. That having been said, there have been many changes in vitaculture, with things like clonal selections, technology, etc., so the ideas about what will do best and where may be outdated or at least need to be revisited from time to time. I recognize that research is being done all the time, and perhaps the French have done research to show that Syrah is not suited to the Loire. However, if this guy wants to make a Syrah, let the market decide whether it's any good. Perhaps the reseach will be proven correct, perhaps not. At the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, nobody thought that the new "shredded wheat" cereal would be popular. Over a hundred years later, it's still on the shelves (even though I still think it tastes like crap).

4. This smacks of political collusion. Imagine if someone wanted to plant Syrah in, say, the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Now, I'm sure some folks growing Pinot would be concerned that it not be blended into Pinot, producing a fuller, richer style of wine. They may also have concerns about use of the appellation. However, assume that it wasn't going to be blended or use the appellation. Those same Pinot growers would have a vested interest in seeing it be unsuccessful, as if it was successful, it'd be competition for one thing. For another, if it caught on, they might have to revisit their own plantings, which would be costly.

5. Concerning the issue of typicity, who's to say what a "typical" Loire Syrah would taste like? If it hasn't been done, there's no standard, and if they're not using the appellation, then they're not claiming a standard.

I am not an expert by any stretch, and again I don't have all the facts. However, in these instances, I usually go with the idea that the market will sort it out.