Syrah is a red grape which originated in the southern Rhone wine region of France. Today Syrah accounts for about 194,000 acres worldwide. Of that total, 57% is in France and another third in Australia where they call it "Shiraz". In California, where there are now 10,300 acres, Syrah has been an immense success story. As recently as 1991 there were less than 500 acres in the Golden State. This is a 2400% increase in 9 years! What makes California such a great home for this grape is the state's Mediterranean climate in which the Syrah grape thrives.

California's winemakers have substantially shortened the learning curve with this grape and now some of the wines they are producing can stand up to the best that France has to offer. Grape vine age is the big factor here: obviously most of the Syrah vineyards are less than 10 years old. Once the average vine age hits 15 years or more, the sky is the limit for quality.

Syrah shows many facets: look for black pepper and cassis aromas and sometimes a very rustic flavor overtone the French call animale. Calfornia Syrahs go very well with fuller flavored dishes: stews, roasts, game and full-flavored cheeses do quite nicely.

Camille says...I created this recipe for Syrah. Beef tenderloin is a festive main course that is also simple to prepare. The roasting of the onions browns them so they develop a full flavor depth. Tarragon adds another flavor dimension to this dish. Serve potatoes and steamed asparagus or green beans with the meal.

1 beef tenderloin, trimmed, 31/2 to 4 pounds
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
18 small onions, peeled
11/2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup Syrah
2 tsp chopped fresh leaf tarragon or 3/4 tsp dried
salt and freshly ground white pepper

Preparation

Tuck tail end of roast under meat so it is of similar thickness. Tie tightly with string lengthwise and crosswise. Combine butter, oil, and minced garlic and rub over roast. Place tenderloin on roasting rack. Cook in preheated 425°F oven for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 130°F for medium-rare.
Place onions in shallow baking dish, dot with butter. Roast 12 minutes; remove and keep warm. Combine wine, tarragon, salt and pepper; pour over onions. Return to oven and bake another 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove beef from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve. Spoon 2 or 3 onions and their sauce onto each serving.

Preparation time about 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: Makes 4 - 6 servings.

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