Annika Sorenstam's wines share her passion for success

Apparently, Annika Sorenstam heard that I’d reviewed Jack Nicklaus’s newest wines, and she sent along a couple of bottles of the latest vintages from her own impressive namesake label.

On the back label of each bottle, arguably the greatest woman golfer in history, asks us to “Share my passion,” and it’s clear from Annika’s partnership with fifth-generation winemaker Karl Wente that she’s passionate about this endeavor.

The wines I tasted were the 2008 chardonnay ($40 on Annika’s wine site), and the 2008 syrah, which isn’t listed yet on the site (but the 2006 syrah goes for $75/bottle).

I paired the chardonnay with a lemon-honey-soy sauce glazed roasted chicken and sweet potato and green onion fritters. I’m not much of a chardonnay guy, but Annika’s offering was absolutely delicious. On the nose were vanilla and fresh bread. The taste was mellow yet crisp, smacking of white pear and, towards the end, fresh pineapple.

Simply put, I cannot recall the last time I felt so sad that a bottle of chardonnay was empty (or one that ran dry so quickly – my wife loved it, too).

The 2008 syrah was paired with braised beef short ribs with roasted vegetables and baked potatoes. Even poured through a Vinturi aerator, it still tasted a little “tight,” with concentrated tannins and pronounced young plum and blackberry flavors. It went well with the fatty ribs, cutting through their heaviness. Interestingly, after recorking the remainder of the bottle and letting it sit for a couple of days, a re-pouring produced a smoother, more complex taste from start to finish.

All in all, arguably the greatest-ever female golfer has produced wines that give the vino by arguably the greatest-ever male golfer a run for his vines. Both are well worth a taste, and their limited production, high quality, and high-profile labels make them attractive to both wine and golf aficionados (and collectors).

Annika’s 2008 syrah is bold and complex with aggressive tannins.

Annika’s 2008 chardonnay is smooth, with notes of fresh bread, pear and pineapple on the finish.