2016 L'Ecole No. 41 Estate Ferguson Vineyard, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$54.00USD

This is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Malbec from a single vineyard in Washington.  Purple in color, a bit flat and opaque.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, spice, tobacco and slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cherries with underlying spice.  Long finish.  A bitter cherry note on the finish.  This still seems to need some time or air; maybe a few more years.  It should improve and then drink well for another seven to ten after that.  It drinks well on its own and would work well

2015 Basel Cellars Merriment, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is a blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 25% Malbec, and 12% Cabernet Franc.  Medium deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with cassis, cherries, spice, slight tobacco and slight milk chocolate.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, cassis with some black cherries with underlying spice and slight char.  This drinks nicely on its own but will work better with food.  Lamb stew would be a nice choice.  Drink over the next five to seven  years.  

2017 K Vintners Syrah Powerline Vineyard, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, roasted herbs, slight burnt rubber, and a bit of cherries.  Full bodied.  Rich texture.  Lots of vibrancy.  On the palate, good fruit but not as boisterous as some vintages.  Black raspberries, black cherries, with underlying char and roasted meats.  Nice finish.  This is obviously young but drinking well.  It should mature for another five to ten years and drink well for eight to twelve after that.  It drinks great on its own and will work for big flavored foods.  Roasted chicken would work well.  

2017 No Girls Double Lucky #8, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

My second time trying this wine.  Same overall impressions.  It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo.  Almost black in color, more ruby towards the rim.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries and the burnt rubber smell.  Medium bodied if not a bit thinner.  On the palate, this is a nice quaff.  Nice black cherry fruit.  Easy drinking.  No idea on what the pricing will be.  

2015 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah Foothills Reserve, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$77.00USD

This is 100% Syrah from Washington state.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is boysenberry, black pepper, slight roasted meats and a hint of burnt rubber.  Medium to full bodied.  Delicious.  On the palate, lush black raspberry fruit with underlying char.  Also some black pepper.  Very smooth.  Long finish.  This is still young and will no doubt continue to improve for another five to seven years.  It should drink well for ten to fifteen more after that.  Drinks well on its own and will work with bigger foods especially roasts or off the grill.  

2017 No Girls Grenache La Paciencia Vineyard. USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

From the folks at Cayuse.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, strawberries, slight earthiness and a hint of floral notes.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the black cherry and strawberries come thru big time.  A slight dry earthiness underneath.  This is ripe but not over done.  Good finish.  This could use a few years to develop more and should drink well for eight to ten after that.  Nice on its own, with age it will work well with roasted fowl.  

2017 No Girls Double Lucky #8, USA, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

This is apparently a new wine from No Girls that was sent free to those members on the Mailing List.  A Zoom tasting was held for people to try it although a friend brought this bottle to a separate event.  Pop and pour.  It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Tempranillo.  Almost black in color, more ruby towards the rim.  The nose has that burnt rubber smell so prevalent in many Washington Syrahs.  Also, some slight barnyard, black raspberries and black cherries.  Medium bodied if not a bit thinner.  On the palate, this is a nice quaff.  Somewhat one dimensional with nice black cherry fruit

2015 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah Foothills Reserve, Washington, Walla Walla, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Reynvaan makes some great Syrah's in Washington state.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries, slight burnt rubber, black pepper and slight bacon fat.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, the boysenberries come thru over a nice minerality.  Long finish.  This is drinking well right now.  it is not robust but very concentrated.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  This will work well with Indian food or stews.  

2016 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah High Contrast Vineyard, USA, Washington, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$158.00USD

Apparently, one of the reasons for the name is that these vineyards are tended to with the use of horses.  This was tasted side by side with the Tribe.  Of course, which you like better is personal taste but this seems much more backwards at this point.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, slight bacon fat, and clean char.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  The palate has more boysenberry fruit with the underlying char coming thru.  It is tightly packed, but intense.  It probably needs ano0ther five years to open and maybe five afte

2016 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah The Tribe Vineyard, USA, Washington, Walla Walla,

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$140.00USD

From the same people who make Cayuse in Washington state.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, roasted meat, and black pepper.  Very enticing.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is still young with medium to firm tannins.  Nice black raspberry fruit.  Big, but more youthful than a fruit bomb.  If served blind, I think I guess a young Cornas rather than Washington.  Nice finish.  I have no real experience to judge ageability of these wines, but it seems like it need another five years or so, and then should be good for ten or fifteen more. 

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