Last night we (OK, my husband) grilled up some Newport steak and zucchini, and a friend brought over this Sy Substance Syrah from Washington. I always forget about Washington State wines, a big oversight on my part — particularly because it’s the source of some fine Syrah, my favorite. I loved this wine’s deep fruit and bright acidity. My husband, who is much more musically inclined than I am, talks about how wines can have too much treble or too much bass. By that I think he means too much acidity or too much alcohol and/or extract…in any case, this wine had just the right amount of both. I’m also in love with the label and their Web site, which is beautifully designed and very informative. There’s a lot of good background on different varieties and where they’re grown. Their single-varietal wines come in at under $20 and would be great to build a tasting around. Either pick up a few reds (the Merlot, the Malbec, and the Cabernet Sauvignon, for example) to better understand the differences between these grapes — the classic building blocks of Bordeaux, by the way — or else try the Syrah next to a Crozes-Hermitage or St. Joseph for the Northern Rhone (both of which are made from Syrah) for a New World vs. Old World comparison.