Sleight Of Hand Cellars
Levitation Syrah
Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Full ruby-red. Alluring aromas of blackberry, olive tapenade, bacon fat, sage and black pepper. Concentrated, densely packed and quite suave, communicating a restrained sweetness to its flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, spices, licorice and minerals. This shows more personality--at least today--than Sleight of Hand's Bordeaux blends, as well as the concentration and balance to evolve slowly and gracefully in bottle. Finishes savory, firmly tannic and long, with serious energy and no dryness. An excellent Syrah without any excesses. (made with 10% whole clusters; fermented and aged in concrete tanks and large-format barrels, including 27% new puncheons) (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Full ruby-red. Alluring aromas of blackberry, olive tapenade, bacon fat, sage and black pepper. Concentrated, densely packed and quite suave, communicating a restrained sweetness to its flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, spices, licorice and minerals. This shows more personality--at least today--than Sleight of Hand's Bordeaux blends, as well as the concentration and balance to evolve slowly and gracefully in bottle. Finishes savory, firmly tannic and long, with serious energy and no dryness. An excellent Syrah without any excesses. (made with 10% whole clusters; fermented and aged in concrete tanks and large-format barrels, including 27% new puncheons) (Stephen Tanzer, Vinous, December 2020)
Dec 3rd, 2020
* appearance: dark purple
* aromas: blackberry, black olive, vanilla, cracked pepper, smoke
* palate: very dense, black fruit, black olive
* structure: full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium tannins, 14.7% ABV
* finish: long, peppery
* winemaking: 100% Syrah blended from three vineyard: Les Collines Vineyard (44%)/Lewis Vineyard (41%)/Stoney Vines Vineyard (15%), aged for 17 months in 15% new oak and 85% older oak barrels
* cost: $45
* appearance: dark purple
* aromas: blackberry, black olive, vanilla, cracked pepper, smoke
* palate: very dense, black fruit, black olive
* structure: full bodied, medium+ acidity, medium tannins, 14.7% ABV
* finish: long, peppery
* winemaking: 100% Syrah blended from three vineyard: Les Collines Vineyard (44%)/Lewis Vineyard (41%)/Stoney Vines Vineyard (15%), aged for 17 months in 15% new oak and 85% older oak barrels
* cost: $45
The Levitation is 100% Syrah from the Columbia Valley. It spent time on lees, 15 months in French oak and only racked before bottling. On the nose, plummy dark currants, loamy soils, pepper, grilled meats, light; cinnamon, clove & vanilla. Sweet tarry notes, herbs and fresh violets & dry florals. On the palate; the tannin are M+ but round, fresh; black cherry, black plum, black raspberries, blackberries. Herbs, pepper, spice, understated grilled meats, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, underbrush, crushed rocks, loamy soils, fresh, dark florals, round acidity and a big, rich, polished, elegant, floral finish. Photos of; a Sleight of Hand vineyard, merchandise area of the tasting room, back private tasting room and their production building.
The Levitation is 100% Syrah from the Columbia Valley. It spent time on lees, 15 months in French oak and only racked before bottling. On the nose, plummy dark currants, loamy soils, pepper, grilled meats, light; cinnamon, clove & vanilla. Sweet tarry notes, herbs and fresh violets & dry florals. On the palate; the tannin are M+ but round, fresh; black cherry, black plum, black raspberries, blackberries. Herbs, pepper, spice, understated grilled meats, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, underbrush, crushed rocks, loamy soils, fresh, dark florals, round acidity and a big, rich, polished, elegant, floral finish. Photos of; a Sleight of Hand vineyard, merchandise area of the tasting room, back private tasting room and their production building.
Aug 23rd, 2017
Holy extraction grandma. Imagine a bottle of Caymus and a bottle of MollyDooker (any MD, really) met at a party and hit it off.. the Caymus, being outgoing and forgetting it's manners, while slightly inebriated, started dancing a bit too close to the Molly Dooker. She, being equally overt, slightly even more intoxicated, and not being one to say no to a good time, gladly indulged and pulled him closer as the music roared louder. They made their way through the crowd, bumping and grinding, and stumbled out the door to Caymus' sup'd up '69 Mustang Mach 1. Molly, being a thrill seeker with a new found love for Rutherford but a bigger love for adventure, shouted at Caymus as he gripped the wheel - "let's leave this state in our dust!" The two sped across the countryside, hand in hand, and finally ran out of gas as they crossed the state line into Washington. It was there they made love. A lovechild was born. It's name - Levitation. Levi for short.
For those confused - it drinks like a lovechild of Caymus and Molly Dooker coming from Washington. Not bad juice.
Holy extraction grandma. Imagine a bottle of Caymus and a bottle of MollyDooker (any MD, really) met at a party and hit it off.. the Caymus, being outgoing and forgetting it's manners, while slightly inebriated, started dancing a bit too close to the Molly Dooker. She, being equally overt, slightly even more intoxicated, and not being one to say no to a good time, gladly indulged and pulled him closer as the music roared louder. They made their way through the crowd, bumping and grinding, and stumbled out the door to Caymus' sup'd up '69 Mustang Mach 1. Molly, being a thrill seeker with a new found love for Rutherford but a bigger love for adventure, shouted at Caymus as he gripped the wheel - "let's leave this state in our dust!" The two sped across the countryside, hand in hand, and finally ran out of gas as they crossed the state line into Washington. It was there they made love. A lovechild was born. It's name - Levitation. Levi for short.
For those confused - it drinks like a lovechild of Caymus and Molly Dooker coming from Washington. Not bad juice.
Trey makes wines that make my mouth happy.
Trey makes wines that make my mouth happy.
1 person found it helpfulAug 3rd, 2014
Matthew had this 11 years ago
Matthew had this 11 years ago
1 person found it helpfulMay 22nd, 2014
Blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, fresh acidity. Some meatiness and black olive. Shows the character of the vintage very nicely. Delicious stuff.
Blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, fresh acidity. Some meatiness and black olive. Shows the character of the vintage very nicely. Delicious stuff.
1 person found it helpfulNov 22nd, 2013
Greg had this 11 years ago
Greg had this 11 years ago
1 person found it helpfulOct 28th, 2013
Had a choice between a Saint Cosme CoteRotie and this, I went with the power,full force ,and indeed this today ,I ll drink the more subtle wine another day
Had a choice between a Saint Cosme CoteRotie and this, I went with the power,full force ,and indeed this today ,I ll drink the more subtle wine another day
May 20th, 2017