2022 Hors Categorie Syrah
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The 2022 Syrah Hors Catégorie Vineyard is a showstopper of a peppery, savory beast, unloading masses of flinty black currant, anise, caraway seed, menthol and sage. It's youthfully dense yet sleek, with cooling acidity that supports its mineral-infused black fruits. A tinge of blood orange and a salty concentration add tremendous depth toward the close. Nuances of graphite and sour citrus echo as the 2022 leaves the palate drenched in primary concentration. I am completely in awe of this interpretation of the Hors Catégorie Vineyard. The extended season packed this full of complexity.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Eric Guido, Vinous
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From the producer’s high-elevation site (the top reaches 1,492 feet) steeply planted in fractured basalt with up to a 60% slope, this is where the north and south forks of the Walla Walla River come together. It was planted in 2011 to just 2.2 acres of vineyard. Given 90 to 100% whole-cluster fermentation, the 2022 Syrah is earthy in blackberry bramble, graphite, and meaty lavender, with outstanding finesse beneath its understated power and sublimely velvety texture. Farmed biodynamically since the beginning, the vineyard sustains a pasture of goats, sheep, cows, and beehives below, inviting biodiversity. Age this wine 20-30 years.