Tasting Notes

WA98

Coming from a cold, late vintage where the Syrah didn’t ripen until the first part of October, the 2010 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard showed spectacularly in the retrospective. Inky purple in color, it gives up classic floral qualities intermixed with ample olive tapenade, black raspberry, lavender, orange blossom and pepper on the nose. This gives way to a full-bodied, sexy, seamless and yet always elegant Syrah that has juicy acidity and ripe tannin kicking in on the finish. This was the first vintage where they moved part of the élevage to foudre, and this spent 16 months in roughly 15% new French oak.

WE97

As usual, the Cailloux is co-fermented with Viognier. The oldest of the Cayuse vineyards, it’s really coming into maturity, delivering a tour de force performance in this new vintage. Aromatically explosive, it opens with floral and citrus—notably orange peel—then fills out with a lush palate bursting with cherry fruit, and the winery’s characteristic, savory, umami flavors. The finish seems unending. Cellar Selection.

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