Cayuse Vineyards
En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Omg good and even better when you are enjoying with your son
Omg good and even better when you are enjoying with your son
Aug 15th, 2021Prefect with Memorial Day weekend ribs - structure with plump expressive personality, showing ripe and dried raspberry and blackberries, meaty with bacon fat and crushed rock tones that glide on the long finish toward vibrant tannins
Prefect with Memorial Day weekend ribs - structure with plump expressive personality, showing ripe and dried raspberry and blackberries, meaty with bacon fat and crushed rock tones that glide on the long finish toward vibrant tannins
May 30th, 2021
Though not the same as it was pre-COVID -19, a handful of us were able to gather (while keeping our distance) to celebrate being back together and opened some fun wines to share. Wine is always better with good company.
From the 2018 Cayuse Ex-cellar sale. Followed over two days.
The oldest Cayuse I’ve had to date and a testimony to the quality and longevity of these wines as the wine was drinking beautifully. This sat with the cork removed for about an hour before it was tasted the first time. Aromatically, the Cayuse funk was just barely there (I’m assuming a combo of age as well as less use of whole clusters/stem back during these vintages), but even just a touch of that funk is enough to reel you in. Iron driven, teriyaki, stewed tomatoes, and dark cocoa dusted dates. It has a semi muddled profile on the palate but the acidity is still keeping this lively, and it went from black cherry dominant in day one to a darker, roasted black cherry/underripe blackberry flavor on day two. Olive and truffle mushroom on both days, but day two had a distinct sage/wintergreen type note at the finish. Complex, integrated, and delicious. Thrilled to have been able to acquire one of these, courtesy of @Bill Bender
Though not the same as it was pre-COVID -19, a handful of us were able to gather (while keeping our distance) to celebrate being back together and opened some fun wines to share. Wine is always better with good company.
From the 2018 Cayuse Ex-cellar sale. Followed over two days.
The oldest Cayuse I’ve had to date and a testimony to the quality and longevity of these wines as the wine was drinking beautifully. This sat with the cork removed for about an hour before it was tasted the first time. Aromatically, the Cayuse funk was just barely there (I’m assuming a combo of age as well as less use of whole clusters/stem back during these vintages), but even just a touch of that funk is enough to reel you in. Iron driven, teriyaki, stewed tomatoes, and dark cocoa dusted dates. It has a semi muddled profile on the palate but the acidity is still keeping this lively, and it went from black cherry dominant in day one to a darker, roasted black cherry/underripe blackberry flavor on day two. Olive and truffle mushroom on both days, but day two had a distinct sage/wintergreen type note at the finish. Complex, integrated, and delicious. Thrilled to have been able to acquire one of these, courtesy of @Bill Bender
The finest old Cayuse I’ve had. Fruit still fresh and is lifted by good acidity, leans a little lighter in weight and more red fruit presence. All the rocks district characteristics are present adding complexity throughout.
The finest old Cayuse I’ve had. Fruit still fresh and is lifted by good acidity, leans a little lighter in weight and more red fruit presence. All the rocks district characteristics are present adding complexity throughout.
May 21st, 2019
The 2008 Cayuse Vineyards ‘En Chamberlin Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 97) is a magical wine from one of the world’s great vignerons, Christophe Baron. The flavor range here is simply insane, from blood orange to Umami and seaweed to bacon fat and salted charcuterie. Showing a brilliant salinity and beautiful savory qualities, this is a perfect example of aged, stony Syrah. At ten years old, this is peaking and is simply impossibly to put down
The 2008 Cayuse Vineyards ‘En Chamberlin Vineyard’ Syrah (WWB, 97) is a magical wine from one of the world’s great vignerons, Christophe Baron. The flavor range here is simply insane, from blood orange to Umami and seaweed to bacon fat and salted charcuterie. Showing a brilliant salinity and beautiful savory qualities, this is a perfect example of aged, stony Syrah. At ten years old, this is peaking and is simply impossibly to put down
Mar 6th, 2019The 2008 ‘En Chamberlin’ is simply marvelous right now. The wine shows aromatic profile of seaweed, Umami, horse manure, wet stone, mandarin orange rind and wild blackberry, the intoxicating bouquet brings you back to the glass for more. There are ripe flavors of smoke, brisket, Umami, black olive, boysenberry pie, smoked brisket and light suggestions of coffee grounds. The texture of this wine borders ethereal, as this is translucent, yet fat on the mid-palate. This shows a wonderful combination of fruit and terroir from this warm vintage in Washington. Drink 2019-2029
The 2008 ‘En Chamberlin’ is simply marvelous right now. The wine shows aromatic profile of seaweed, Umami, horse manure, wet stone, mandarin orange rind and wild blackberry, the intoxicating bouquet brings you back to the glass for more. There are ripe flavors of smoke, brisket, Umami, black olive, boysenberry pie, smoked brisket and light suggestions of coffee grounds. The texture of this wine borders ethereal, as this is translucent, yet fat on the mid-palate. This shows a wonderful combination of fruit and terroir from this warm vintage in Washington. Drink 2019-2029
Feb 19th, 2019The 2011 ‘En Chamberlin’ Syrah by Cayuse is stunning at this age. Gorgeous dark fruits connect with wet rocks and charcuterie and Mandarin orange rind aromatics, which all come together in the glass. The silky texture borders ethereal as gorgeous flavors of black cherry cough syrup, wet rocks, umami, salted meats, black tea and blood orange flavors continue to impress. This remarkable Syrah is a sensational wine made by superstar vigneron Christophe Baron.
The 2011 ‘En Chamberlin’ Syrah by Cayuse is stunning at this age. Gorgeous dark fruits connect with wet rocks and charcuterie and Mandarin orange rind aromatics, which all come together in the glass. The silky texture borders ethereal as gorgeous flavors of black cherry cough syrup, wet rocks, umami, salted meats, black tea and blood orange flavors continue to impress. This remarkable Syrah is a sensational wine made by superstar vigneron Christophe Baron.
Feb 18th, 2019You just can't find better Syrah anywhere. Maybe equally as good, but not better. Tons of meaty and violet aromas. Gorgeous balance on the palate. A treat!
You just can't find better Syrah anywhere. Maybe equally as good, but not better. Tons of meaty and violet aromas. Gorgeous balance on the palate. A treat!
Dec 9th, 2017
This wine seriously has more bacon fat and pork than I've experienced in a bottle. The fruit is one of the last things I will have in this description. It's why there is a pig in the picture collage! I had to do it because right now that is the dominating flavor of the wine. I am going to come back to this in a bit. Let's see what happens after some time in the decanter. This starting to calm down a bit. On the nose, bacon fat, pork, grilled meats, BBQ sauce, olive, loads of milk chocolate, brine, brown sugar, dried blood, pepper, black plum, dark cherries, blackberries, faint strawberries, dry stones, loamy clay soil, scorched earth, soy sauce and decayed dark florals. The mouthfeel is thick and brooding. Everything on the nose is on the palate. The acidity is round. The finish is thick, rich with intense flavors that stick to the palate and linger endlessly. If I had more bottles of the 06 En Chamberlin, I'd wait another 8-10 years to open them. It's still a monster. Photos of; the front of their tasting room in downtown Walla Walla that is generally always closed, the stone vineyard of Cayuse that needs to be horse plowed, Christophe Baron (owner), ready to pick grapes and a field pig...just because their is so much pork in this wine. Producer notes and history...while visiting the Walla Walla Valley in 1996, Christophe Baron spotted a plot of land that had been plowed up to reveal acres of softball-sized stones. He became ridiculously excited. This stony soil, this terroir, reminded him of vineyards he had visited in France (Rhone Valley) and Spain. The difficult ground would stress the grapevines, making them produce more mature, concentrated fruit. Christophe Baron had found a new home. He named his vineyard after the Cayuse, a Native American tribe whose name was taken from the French cailloux–which means, of course, rocks. Hours of back-breaking work later, Cayuse Vineyards has become five vineyards encompassing 50 acres: Armada, Cailloux, Coccinelle (Ladybug), En Cerise (Cherry), and En Chamberlin. The majority of the vineyards are planted with Syrah, and the rest dedicated to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo and Viognier. All of the vineyards are planted in rocky earth within the Walla Walla Valley appellation. Cayuse was also the first winery in Walla Walla to farm using biodynamic methods. These highly stressed vineyards average a yield of only two tons or less per acre (30 hectolitres per hectare), resulting in wines true to each vineyard’s unique terroir. Cayuse specializes in four estate-vineyard Syrahs, along with Bionic Frog Syrah, Impulsivo Tempranillo, Widowmaker Cabernet-Sauvignon, two Bordeaux blends named Camaspelo & Flying Pig and Viognier. Look for their other partnership wines; Horsepower & No Girls if you haven't already. Nearly 100% all mailing list, restaurants and secondary markets.
This wine seriously has more bacon fat and pork than I've experienced in a bottle. The fruit is one of the last things I will have in this description. It's why there is a pig in the picture collage! I had to do it because right now that is the dominating flavor of the wine. I am going to come back to this in a bit. Let's see what happens after some time in the decanter. This starting to calm down a bit. On the nose, bacon fat, pork, grilled meats, BBQ sauce, olive, loads of milk chocolate, brine, brown sugar, dried blood, pepper, black plum, dark cherries, blackberries, faint strawberries, dry stones, loamy clay soil, scorched earth, soy sauce and decayed dark florals. The mouthfeel is thick and brooding. Everything on the nose is on the palate. The acidity is round. The finish is thick, rich with intense flavors that stick to the palate and linger endlessly. If I had more bottles of the 06 En Chamberlin, I'd wait another 8-10 years to open them. It's still a monster. Photos of; the front of their tasting room in downtown Walla Walla that is generally always closed, the stone vineyard of Cayuse that needs to be horse plowed, Christophe Baron (owner), ready to pick grapes and a field pig...just because their is so much pork in this wine. Producer notes and history...while visiting the Walla Walla Valley in 1996, Christophe Baron spotted a plot of land that had been plowed up to reveal acres of softball-sized stones. He became ridiculously excited. This stony soil, this terroir, reminded him of vineyards he had visited in France (Rhone Valley) and Spain. The difficult ground would stress the grapevines, making them produce more mature, concentrated fruit. Christophe Baron had found a new home. He named his vineyard after the Cayuse, a Native American tribe whose name was taken from the French cailloux–which means, of course, rocks. Hours of back-breaking work later, Cayuse Vineyards has become five vineyards encompassing 50 acres: Armada, Cailloux, Coccinelle (Ladybug), En Cerise (Cherry), and En Chamberlin. The majority of the vineyards are planted with Syrah, and the rest dedicated to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Tempranillo and Viognier. All of the vineyards are planted in rocky earth within the Walla Walla Valley appellation. Cayuse was also the first winery in Walla Walla to farm using biodynamic methods. These highly stressed vineyards average a yield of only two tons or less per acre (30 hectolitres per hectare), resulting in wines true to each vineyard’s unique terroir. Cayuse specializes in four estate-vineyard Syrahs, along with Bionic Frog Syrah, Impulsivo Tempranillo, Widowmaker Cabernet-Sauvignon, two Bordeaux blends named Camaspelo & Flying Pig and Viognier. Look for their other partnership wines; Horsepower & No Girls if you haven't already. Nearly 100% all mailing list, restaurants and secondary markets.
Aug 26th, 2017