Syrah

This is a blend of 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from the Cote Blonde in the southern end of Cote Rotie.  The nose is lovely.  Quite floral (violets?) but also black raspberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Viscous/glycerin texture.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black raspberries, black cherries and char.  Good balance.  Good finish.  This is drinking well today and should continue for another five to eight years.  This is lighter in style than most Cote Rotie's making it very food friendly.  It would work well with roasted fowl.  

This is made from 100% Serine (Syrah) vines that are about 45 years old.  Purple in color with ruby swirls although a bit flat.  The nose is very perfumed with black raspberries, violets but also smoked meats.  Full bodied.  Nice drinkable texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit with some smoke and minerality.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now but will still improve a bit.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It is nice on its own but will work better with food.  Braised meat and potato dishes would work well.  

This is 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier.  Very nice wine and an excellent value in Cote Rotie.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, and slight roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is muscular with black raspberries and black olives coming thru along with a bit of char.  Good finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another fifteen years.  A nice match for Indian cuisine.  

The grapes for this wine come principally from the Mollard lieu-dit (65%) with the rest coming from Font-Jean, Viallière, and La Landonne.  It is a blend of Syrah 93%, and Viognier 7%.  Just a stunning wine, and for Cote Rotie, a great value.  Purple in color with a slight ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, slight bacon fat, and slight violets.  Full bodied.  Good acidity. Great glycerin driven texture.  On the palate, black raspberries and black pepper.  Firm tannins.    Long finish.  This needs a bit more time and then should drink well for the next twent

This is the first ever vintage of this wine.  Made from a massal (various clones growing together) selection of 65 year old vines at the top of the hill.  The Syrah is Serines which is a particular clone of Syrah that is native to the northern Rhone.  Some people think it is a distinct varietal but that is yet to be proven.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, violets and char.  A wonderful velvety texture.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  Delicious.  On the palate, black raspberries, smoke, and great minerality.  Tig

This is 100% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, smoked meat, slight graphite and spices.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, black raspberries with underlying minerality.  Great, lush texture.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This could use a few more years, but is drinking well already.  It should drink well for the next twenty to twenty-five years.  Great on its own, this will work well with hearty stews or other big foods.  Is should improve with cellar time.  

This winery recently sold.  While the former owners, Napa legends Carole Meredith and Steve Lagier, are entitled to work a bit less, the wines will be missed.  Quality Syrah (and others) at very fair pricing.  This one is no exception.  2009 was a good vintage provided the grapes were harvested before the early fall rains.  It would appear these were.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black pepper, slight gamey meats.  Medium to full bodied.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, light tannins.  Plenty of black raspberry fruit with some black pepper

This is a blend of 55% Grenache, 24% Mourvèdre, 13% Syrah, and 8% Counoise.  No doubt in a few years this merits a 100 score.  Right now, it is very young, and although amazing, it needs time to come together.  Inky purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, black pepper, and floral notes.  Full bodied.  This wine is a bruiser!  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, gobs of black raspberries, black cherries with some black pepper and nice underlying minerality.  Long finish.  No harm drinking now but another five years of cellaring

It had been a while since I tasted this.  At age 17, it is still youthful and vibrant!  This bottle had been purchased from a Napa retailer relatively recently.  A blend of 71% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre, and 10% Grenache.  Inky purple in color, starting to show just a hint of browning at the rim.  The nose has black raspberries, bacon fat, white pepper, with roasted meats and herbs.  Great texture; soft but explicit if that makes sense.  Light on its  feet.  On the palate, black raspberries, black pepper, slight salinity, and crushed rock.  Long finish.  Complex and delicious.  This is drinking

Another stunning Syrah from this winery!  Syrahs from Washington are unique.  They really show the terroir.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, burnt rubber, black olives, smoked meats and spice.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, black raspberries, crushed rocks, and black pepper.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This has a certain elegance in it not often found in new world Syrah.  No harm opening now, but it should continue to mature and maybe even get better.  Great on its own, this would work really well wit