Horsepower Vineyards
Sur Echalas Vineyard Syrah
Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Bright dark red. Very pure, varietally accurate aromas of raspberry, smoked meat, black olive tapenade, herbs and minerals. Enters the mouth saline and intense, then strong soil-driven olive tapenade, dark raspberry and smoked meat take over the palate. This concentrated, salty wine boasts impressive thickness but also just enough fresh balancing fruit to leaven its high-pH feel. No shortage of sweetness here. Finishes with a firm dusting of tannins, lingering pepper, meat and smoke notes and no rough edges. (13.6% alcohol) (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Bright dark red. Very pure, varietally accurate aromas of raspberry, smoked meat, black olive tapenade, herbs and minerals. Enters the mouth saline and intense, then strong soil-driven olive tapenade, dark raspberry and smoked meat take over the palate. This concentrated, salty wine boasts impressive thickness but also just enough fresh balancing fruit to leaven its high-pH feel. No shortage of sweetness here. Finishes with a firm dusting of tannins, lingering pepper, meat and smoke notes and no rough edges. (13.6% alcohol) (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Dec 3rd, 2020
The 2018 ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Syrah is one of the wines of the vintage from this famed estate. Due to the shade of the vineyard, this is a later ripening vineyard for their program which allows them to utilize roughly 70-80% stem inclusion in this wine. They also choose not to use any new oak on the wine, only used demi-muid aging. Weighing in at 13.8% alcohol, this provides immediate appeal with its downright intoxicating bouquet, delivering loads of white pepper woven together with steak tartare, cigar ash tones as well as Hoisin sauce, Umami and menthol that all meld in the glass. The aromatic range here is extraordinary. The textural elements of the wine are just gorgeous. The 2018 edition displays more mid-palate weight than the ’17 bottling but also embodies plenty of finesse. Rich ripe dark cherry and dark raspberry tones mingle with wet stone, seaweed, green olive tapenade, and salted meats on the palate. This finishes exceedingly long. Gratifying to enjoy in its youth, this sensational wine will cellar well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2020-2030- 98
The 2018 ‘Sur Echalas Vineyard’ Syrah is one of the wines of the vintage from this famed estate. Due to the shade of the vineyard, this is a later ripening vineyard for their program which allows them to utilize roughly 70-80% stem inclusion in this wine. They also choose not to use any new oak on the wine, only used demi-muid aging. Weighing in at 13.8% alcohol, this provides immediate appeal with its downright intoxicating bouquet, delivering loads of white pepper woven together with steak tartare, cigar ash tones as well as Hoisin sauce, Umami and menthol that all meld in the glass. The aromatic range here is extraordinary. The textural elements of the wine are just gorgeous. The 2018 edition displays more mid-palate weight than the ’17 bottling but also embodies plenty of finesse. Rich ripe dark cherry and dark raspberry tones mingle with wet stone, seaweed, green olive tapenade, and salted meats on the palate. This finishes exceedingly long. Gratifying to enjoy in its youth, this sensational wine will cellar well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2020-2030- 98
Nov 28th, 2020
Compelling nose - heavy dark fruited and black pepper. A train wreck otherwise.
Compelling nose - heavy dark fruited and black pepper. A train wreck otherwise.
Feb 8th, 2018
Double decant( no sediment). An enticing medium ruby red color. On the nose: funky!.....hints of wet earth, truffles, black olives, stewed meat, red fruit explode from the glass. Taste: blueberry, tar, chocolate, blackberrys, minerals...nice silky smooth decent length finish
Double decant( no sediment). An enticing medium ruby red color. On the nose: funky!.....hints of wet earth, truffles, black olives, stewed meat, red fruit explode from the glass. Taste: blueberry, tar, chocolate, blackberrys, minerals...nice silky smooth decent length finish
1 person found it helpfulApr 7th, 2019
This was apparently a divisive wine but I didn't hear the discussion. I may have been drinking excessively but I admit absolutely nothing. I only got a small taste but to me it was rich and tannic but still approachable. Actually the most open Horsepower I have sampled. I'd hold or decant but there's a lot to like here.
This was apparently a divisive wine but I didn't hear the discussion. I may have been drinking excessively but I admit absolutely nothing. I only got a small taste but to me it was rich and tannic but still approachable. Actually the most open Horsepower I have sampled. I'd hold or decant but there's a lot to like here.
Jul 25th, 2016Zesty texture and mushroom funk. Loveeeeee
Zesty texture and mushroom funk. Loveeeeee
Jan 11th, 2016
Slap in the face with pepper. In a good way.
Slap in the face with pepper. In a good way.
Dec 17th, 2015
Incredibly good from first pour to last sip
Incredibly good from first pour to last sip
Jul 5th, 2015
Nose is UNHINGED! Pizza spices, bell pepper, pepperchini. VEGETAL. Palette lags behind but still delicious. Light medium body. Tasted blind with Jordan & Packer
Nose is UNHINGED! Pizza spices, bell pepper, pepperchini. VEGETAL. Palette lags behind but still delicious. Light medium body. Tasted blind with Jordan & Packer
May 19th, 20221.5 hour decant (little cloudy sediment). An incredible medium murky dark garnet color. On the nose: stunning aromas of black currants, some of that Cayuse funk(luv it), smokey roasted meat, herbs, tobacco. Taste: elegant, chewy, energetic, savory medium plus body wine with some blackberry, iodine, orange peel, touch of blueberry, earth, and a bacon fat mineral medium plus finish. YUM!!
1.5 hour decant (little cloudy sediment). An incredible medium murky dark garnet color. On the nose: stunning aromas of black currants, some of that Cayuse funk(luv it), smokey roasted meat, herbs, tobacco. Taste: elegant, chewy, energetic, savory medium plus body wine with some blackberry, iodine, orange peel, touch of blueberry, earth, and a bacon fat mineral medium plus finish. YUM!!
Mar 5th, 2022