Columbia Valley Syrah

This wine is aging beautifully. Color just starting to brick at the outer rim. Laid-back nose shows warm, smoky gravel, smoked meat, rich plummy berry fruit, braised collard greens. Subtle and showing secondary flavors in the mouth, some fruit but mostly stoney, minerally notes. Soft texture, with acidity still keeping this fresh. Only 13.7%. Delicious.

Crozes-like in a pure, modern, top example way.

Big red fruit, black pepper and smoke/meat...this was my favorite...

Revisiting same vintage six months later. Messed up a bit here; flavors after an hour push toward cherry with a hint of black pepper, black olive pit and soapiness on finish, and a solid tannin core that slowly softens. There’s a hint of spearmint in there as well. All in all, not so different from my previous tasting notes.

Eucalyptus, spearmint and black cherry flavors, rounded mouthfeel. Decant one hour.

The nose is brooding as the glass even approaches. Ruby, ripe; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, an array of purple fruits, blueberries, creamy raspberries, baked, dark cherries and plum. Mid intensity grilled meats, smoke, cracked pepper, blue/purple fruit cola, black licorice, nice, soft, dark spice, crushed rocks, moist clay, vanilla, understated dry herbs, blue, purple flowers and gently layered lavender.

The body is full, thick, lush and ruby. The mouthfeel is gorgeous/sexy. It just starting to drink softer, showing good integration with another 10 plus years of good drinking ahead. This style, structure, tension, length & balance is why I love well made Syrahs from Walla Walla. Ruby, ripe; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, an array of purple fruits, blueberries, creamy raspberries, baked, dark cherries and plum. Mid intensity grilled meats, smoke, cracked pepper, blue/purple fruit cola, black licorice, caramel, mocha powder, milk chocolate, nice, soft, dark spice that brings heat to the palate, notes of cinnamon, crushed rocks, moist clay, vanilla, understated dry herbs, dark, rich, turned earth, even show a touch graphite, used tobacco with ash, blue, purple flowers and gently layered lavender. The acidity is round and nicely done. The lush, rich, ripe, well balanced, finish glides beautifully & juicy over the palate while it persists minutes.

Photos of; side shot of the tasting room that looks like an 1800’s saloon from the outside, the lounge area of their tasting room, Greg Karrington’s Co-Owner and Co-Winemakers Master Sommelier Certificate (no easy thing to pass) and my wife at their tasting bar chatting it up.

Aged nicely, better 3rd day into this bottle. Blueberry pie, hint of smoke. Delicious. Also - Greg & Pam Harrington are wonderful people - Met them years ago thanks to Charlotte Milan.

Dense purple red in color. Leather (and light barrel smoke, possibly), black currant, raspberry and herbal notes in nose. Thin body, slightly soapy mouthfeel with lemon-orange finish on initial pour. Flavors need time to develop. Light to moderate skin astringency, light lactic on finish with persistent medium-weight seed tannins. Light but integrated flavors of cherry, black currant and sage eventually emerge. Worth decanting at least two hours. Well made but challenging to assess; worth revisiting with a second or third bottle opened at a later date.

Very fine. Linear, pure, fresh.

Firing on all cylinders. Aromas, balance, and mouthfeels. Hit me in the feels. One of Walla Walla’s finest showing well tonight with the Valley Syrah.