Charles Smith

M.C.K. (Motor City Kitty) Syrah

9.198 ratings
9.113 pro ratings
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Syrah
Lamb
Top Notes For
Austin Hohnke

Beast! Big, burly, brooding, and bawesome.
Rich and gamey with smoky olive brine and savory layers of earth. Tucking a couple away.

Beast! Big, burly, brooding, and bawesome.
Rich and gamey with smoky olive brine and savory layers of earth. Tucking a couple away.

Jan 26th, 2026
Jonathan Wall

Eye popping goodness! Perfect balance. Well made.

Eye popping goodness! Perfect balance. Well made.

May 24th, 2024
Austin Hohnke

14.5% abv. One of the more assertive offerings in the K Line. Savory and aromatic with violets, bramble, smokey BBQ, olive, camphor, and wild dark fruits. Long decant if drinking now, has the stuffing for another decade.

14.5% abv. One of the more assertive offerings in the K Line. Savory and aromatic with violets, bramble, smokey BBQ, olive, camphor, and wild dark fruits. Long decant if drinking now, has the stuffing for another decade.

Apr 25th, 2023
Jonathan Wall

Lavender, fennel, olives… all that good Syrah stuff except the meat.

Lavender, fennel, olives… all that good Syrah stuff except the meat.

Dec 11th, 2022
Austin Hohnke

This is powerful Syrah with a lot going on. More concentrated and tannic than many of the other Smith Syrah offerings I’ve encountered. Game, black pepper, violets, camphor, cocoa, coffee, and wild berries all leap from the glass. This wants lamb or a rib roast. Considering the price difference I think I prefer this to the Royal City. Well made wine.

This is powerful Syrah with a lot going on. More concentrated and tannic than many of the other Smith Syrah offerings I’ve encountered. Game, black pepper, violets, camphor, cocoa, coffee, and wild berries all leap from the glass. This wants lamb or a rib roast. Considering the price difference I think I prefer this to the Royal City. Well made wine.

Mar 7th, 2021
Chris McClellan

Black pepper and fruit explosion with a pile of smoke! Delicious and long finish...

Black pepper and fruit explosion with a pile of smoke! Delicious and long finish...

Dec 28th, 2020
Chris McClellan

Love this wine...gritty, fruit forward with black pepper at its core, smoky with mild meaty overtones...felt quite rustic at same time...Next one ill decant for hr or so to see if comes more alive but otherwise really great syrah from Charles...

Love this wine...gritty, fruit forward with black pepper at its core, smoky with mild meaty overtones...felt quite rustic at same time...Next one ill decant for hr or so to see if comes more alive but otherwise really great syrah from Charles...

Oct 25th, 2020
Jay Kline

I don’t drink enough Syrah but I blame that mostly on the fact that the Northern Rhônes in my cellar are aging at a glacial pace so it’s hands-off for at least a few more years. That being said, from time to time, I like to see what the New World has to offer and on this night, it was a back-to-back tasting of K Vintner’s Motor City Kitty and Reynvaan’s “Contender” with M.C.K. going first. Talk about a black pepper bomb, holy smokes! It’s on the nose and on the finish and it’s the first impression you get on the pop and pour. However, there is a core of dark fruit that is very nice and while I’m not overwhelmed by it, I appreciate its uniqueness. But man, oh man, dat pepper tho!

I don’t drink enough Syrah but I blame that mostly on the fact that the Northern Rhônes in my cellar are aging at a glacial pace so it’s hands-off for at least a few more years. That being said, from time to time, I like to see what the New World has to offer and on this night, it was a back-to-back tasting of K Vintner’s Motor City Kitty and Reynvaan’s “Contender” with M.C.K. going first. Talk about a black pepper bomb, holy smokes! It’s on the nose and on the finish and it’s the first impression you get on the pop and pour. However, there is a core of dark fruit that is very nice and while I’m not overwhelmed by it, I appreciate its uniqueness. But man, oh man, dat pepper tho!

Apr 29th, 2020
Darren Dittrich

Boisterous and rich... a solid Walla Walla Syrah.

Boisterous and rich... a solid Walla Walla Syrah.

Jan 20th, 2020
Hayden B. Oothout

This wine is very enjoyable and also very young. I opened it yesterday and I’m writing a review on it 24 hours later. Initially it was nothing but black pepper on the nose with minimal fruit and a lot of pepper. Today the pepper is subdued and there is some enjoyable red fruit. Old world and new world collide. Don’t open this for at least 5 years. It’s an amazing wine! One for the cellar for sure.

This wine is very enjoyable and also very young. I opened it yesterday and I’m writing a review on it 24 hours later. Initially it was nothing but black pepper on the nose with minimal fruit and a lot of pepper. Today the pepper is subdued and there is some enjoyable red fruit. Old world and new world collide. Don’t open this for at least 5 years. It’s an amazing wine! One for the cellar for sure.

Sep 17th, 2019