Cayuse Vineyards
Cailloux Vineyard Syrah
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Christophe Baron first Walla Walla Valley vineyard, this 10-acre plot produces their flagship Cailloux Vineyard Syrah. Ruby with aromas of red fruits, herbs and floral notes. On the palate flavors of black cherry, raspberry and currants, with notes of tobacco, herbs, floral and toasty notes. Long finish, fine soft tannins ending with fruit, herbs and sweet notes. Very nice!
Christophe Baron first Walla Walla Valley vineyard, this 10-acre plot produces their flagship Cailloux Vineyard Syrah. Ruby with aromas of red fruits, herbs and floral notes. On the palate flavors of black cherry, raspberry and currants, with notes of tobacco, herbs, floral and toasty notes. Long finish, fine soft tannins ending with fruit, herbs and sweet notes. Very nice!
Mar 17th, 2023
Raspberry, stems, coffee, hung meat, asian spice, orange peel, tapenade, blood and stones. Feral, wild, moderate frame and earthy with a freshness to it. As always a layered and lengthy wine that evolved gloriously over dinner. The firm tannin profile and amount of perfume gave this a distinctive old school feel.
Raspberry, stems, coffee, hung meat, asian spice, orange peel, tapenade, blood and stones. Feral, wild, moderate frame and earthy with a freshness to it. As always a layered and lengthy wine that evolved gloriously over dinner. The firm tannin profile and amount of perfume gave this a distinctive old school feel.
Jun 11th, 2022
Incredible- just so spicy and silky and vibrant - great bottle of wine
Incredible- just so spicy and silky and vibrant - great bottle of wine
Jan 24th, 2021
Cayuse was, for an 🇺🇸 Syrah, subtle and Old-worldish. Serious stank of barnyard and sweaty undergrowth, but after an hr, this opened up and smoothed out. Smoked meat, iron, beef blood. Green tapenade. Some Asian spice. Tangy but silky red fruit. Felt more Hermitage than WA. Wonderful.
Cayuse was, for an 🇺🇸 Syrah, subtle and Old-worldish. Serious stank of barnyard and sweaty undergrowth, but after an hr, this opened up and smoothed out. Smoked meat, iron, beef blood. Green tapenade. Some Asian spice. Tangy but silky red fruit. Felt more Hermitage than WA. Wonderful.
Jan 1st, 2021
Seamless, beautifully transparent and light, tannins fallen away and left a surge of transparent energy. At first, an animal quality, horse stable notes, musk, and mincemeat. Then this resolves into pure, incisive peony, lavender and white truffle. Stunning.
Wow. Can’t keep my nose out of the glass. Every sip is like a new passage. With time, I’m increasingly taken with this wine. Increasingly acknowledging it may be as close to perfect as just about anything else I’ve tried.
Seamless, beautifully transparent and light, tannins fallen away and left a surge of transparent energy. At first, an animal quality, horse stable notes, musk, and mincemeat. Then this resolves into pure, incisive peony, lavender and white truffle. Stunning.
Wow. Can’t keep my nose out of the glass. Every sip is like a new passage. With time, I’m increasingly taken with this wine. Increasingly acknowledging it may be as close to perfect as just about anything else I’ve tried.
I opened this with some friends and it was alongside a 2003 Saxum Bone Rock (good, drink up), 2013 Donelan Obsidian (wow! Cayuse like), a 2013 SQN Le Supplement (massive and spectacular), and a 2016 The Third Twin Nuestra (feral, wild, cerebral).
While this was a fantastic bottle, I think it’s going to get slightly better (it bulked up and added a touch more of everything on day two). Undeniably Cayuse in style, but more northern Rhône Syrah than new world Syrah. Aromatically you are hit with that classic funk that Cayuse is known for...black olive, iron, mineral, and fox fur. Not sure of the whole cluster use here but it comes across as fairly strong/green with fruit notes of underripe black cherry. The splash of Viognier that Cayuse utilizes for their Cailloux makes this so perfumed. On the palate, it really shines showing iron, teriyaki, and olive tapenade. The savoriness of these wines meshes well with the fruit as age sets in and the fruit returns towards the back of the palate...blackberry, mulberry, and spicy rhubarb pie. Fantastic now, possibly outstanding in the next 2-3yrs. If opening soon, decant a couple hours and you’ll be golden.
I opened this with some friends and it was alongside a 2003 Saxum Bone Rock (good, drink up), 2013 Donelan Obsidian (wow! Cayuse like), a 2013 SQN Le Supplement (massive and spectacular), and a 2016 The Third Twin Nuestra (feral, wild, cerebral).
While this was a fantastic bottle, I think it’s going to get slightly better (it bulked up and added a touch more of everything on day two). Undeniably Cayuse in style, but more northern Rhône Syrah than new world Syrah. Aromatically you are hit with that classic funk that Cayuse is known for...black olive, iron, mineral, and fox fur. Not sure of the whole cluster use here but it comes across as fairly strong/green with fruit notes of underripe black cherry. The splash of Viognier that Cayuse utilizes for their Cailloux makes this so perfumed. On the palate, it really shines showing iron, teriyaki, and olive tapenade. The savoriness of these wines meshes well with the fruit as age sets in and the fruit returns towards the back of the palate...blackberry, mulberry, and spicy rhubarb pie. Fantastic now, possibly outstanding in the next 2-3yrs. If opening soon, decant a couple hours and you’ll be golden.
Instense and saturated with roasted black plum and mulberry fruit, tar, grilled porcini, espresso bean, pork blood, curing salt, hoisin, smoked meat, leather, hot iron, metal, apricot confit, grapefruit oil, talcum, roasted herbs de Provence, whole cluster spice like pepper and almost mustard seed, Absolutely wild in its length, complexity, and elixir-like headiness. Some people hate, but this is arguably one of the most unique terroirs for Syrah on earth.
Instense and saturated with roasted black plum and mulberry fruit, tar, grilled porcini, espresso bean, pork blood, curing salt, hoisin, smoked meat, leather, hot iron, metal, apricot confit, grapefruit oil, talcum, roasted herbs de Provence, whole cluster spice like pepper and almost mustard seed, Absolutely wild in its length, complexity, and elixir-like headiness. Some people hate, but this is arguably one of the most unique terroirs for Syrah on earth.
Sep 27th, 2020
WNH virtual tasting. 13’ Cayuse Cailloux. From Christophe oldest vineyard. Black raspberry, Orange blossom, matchstick, touch of white flower crosses the palate. Fine tannins. Meat, coffee, green olives finish to it that lingers for upwards of a minute. Just a touch more expressive then the 12. Both 95+ points.
No need to wait, drinking now.
WNH virtual tasting. 13’ Cayuse Cailloux. From Christophe oldest vineyard. Black raspberry, Orange blossom, matchstick, touch of white flower crosses the palate. Fine tannins. Meat, coffee, green olives finish to it that lingers for upwards of a minute. Just a touch more expressive then the 12. Both 95+ points.
No need to wait, drinking now.