Wine of the Week: PB Hein 2007 Syrah Rose from WTF LA's December Tasting at City Sip

For this week's wine, I'm featuring PB Hein's 2007 Syrah Rose.

Yup, you heard me right!  It's a Syrah Rose.

And yup, I'd never tasted one either, until I ventured to WTF LA's wine tasting at City Sip last week (12/2/09), hosted by my pal, the lovely Leah.

First off, let me start by singing the praises of City Sip, a cooler than cool little wine bar down in Echo Park.  Their mantra is "Wine For The People," proudly displayed on their marquee, and inside it's evident that's what they intend to deliver.  They feature quirky wines with tiny productions, most of which I've never even heard, and that's saying something because I know a lot more about wine than the average Joe The Plummer.  For the beginner or wine enthusiast alike, City Sip is a must visit destination. And Shhh!, but on Sunday night after 9PM, they offer glasses of wine from all their open bottles for half price!  This is a steal, and a great chance to try some of their pricier offerings without breaking the bank.

WTF LA's Wine Tasting Table

Now that we've gotten that cleared up, back to WTF LA's wine tasting.  Leah hosts these events once a month, and not only are they a blast, but they only cost $10, which is applicable against any bottle you purchase from the tasting.  Her mission is to bring wine to the younger generation in a way that's approachable and fun, and boy does she succeed!  All five of the wines we tasted carried reasonable price tags and were from California.

While I also enjoyed the PB Hein 2005 North Coast Syrah, my clear favorite of the night was the 2007 Syrah Rose.  PB Hein is a small family owned and operated winery in Saint Helena, California.  I'd never tasted a syrah rose to my knowledge, and this wine was meaty and big, yet dry and light all at the same time, a total conundrum, and certainly "not your mother's rose," as Leah likes to say.  Interestingly, this wine is pressed from the same grapes as the 2005 North Coast Syrah.  These wines are both available by the glass at City Sip to taste.

Besides tasting some fantastic wines, I also tasted the best sandwich EVER!  Now I don't say that lightly.  Many of you will be familiar with my enduring love for Zingerman's sandwiches, so this means a lot coming from my keyboard.   In addition to featuring wine, City Sip also offers a nice, simple menu of great cheeses, charcuterie and food, and on this trip, I feasted upon the Catalan Panini Sandwich, which I fell in love with from the first crispy, tangy, peppery, cheesy, meaty bite!  Served on crisp bread and stuffed full of the highest quality Manchengo cheese, parma ham and piquillo peppers, it was delicious down to the last bite (and yes, I scarfed the whole thing).  It came with a delicate salad of mixed lettuce and a tiny dish of cured olives, a perfect meal unto itself that left me dreaming about the darn sandwich for days afterwards.

WTF LA's Leah Toasting Me

I can't wait to get back to City Sip for wine and, oh yeah, panini amazingness! Don't believe me? Next time, order a side of painini with your Syrah Rose, I promise you'll be a true convert.

Pricing:

The PB Hein 2007 Syrah Rose was priced at a very reasonable $15, and when I used my tasting coupon, I only forked over an additional $5 (I'd already paid $10 to taste).  That little puppy is resting in my wine cellar right now!  It's available for sale at City Sip.  PB Hein also has their own wine club, too.  So check it out!

CLICK HERE FOR PB HEIN'S WEBSITE!

Winery Information:

PB Hein
140 Pine Pl.
Saint Helena, CA 94574
(707) 967-8638

Businesses Mentioned:

City Sip
2150 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-9463

CLICK HERE FOR CITY SIP'S WEBSITE!

WTF LA
Leah@wtflosangeles.org
323-300-6481
twitter: @wtfla

CLICK HERE FOR WTF LA'S WEBSITE!