2006 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard

(aged in puncheons from Rene Rostaing) Good ruby-red. Raspberry and strawberry aromas complemented by smoke and crushed rock. Tightly wound and rocky on the palate, with terrific energy to the youthfully tight flavors of raspberry and stone. Finishes with a firm tannic spine and complex notes of violet and pepper. Southern Rhone-like on the nose, but more north on the palate and aftertaste. This one was vinified with about 50% of its stems, vs. 25% to 30% for the other Cayuse syrahs in 2006.

Another 2006 that flirts with perfection, the 2006 Syrah Armada Vineyard doesn’t put a foot wrong and shows incredible notes of dried herbs, beef blood, marine-like saltiness, game and loads of sweet fruit. A wine that starts out reserved and elegant, yet continues to build in depth and richness with time in the glass, it’s full-bodied, layered, seamless and concentrated, with a blockbuster finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s ready to go now with a quick decant, but has another decade or more of life in the cellar. eRobertParker.com.June, 2015

In its youth, says Christophe Baron, the 2006 Syrah Armada Vineyard was "in your face" with chewy structuring tannins, but time has been kind to it; while it's still a powerful, boisterous wine, it's drinking very well today. Wafting from the glass with rich aromas of black truffle, ripe cassis and cracked pepper, this is a very full-bodied, ample Syrah that's still richly tannic, with structure to burn. While it's more super-ripe and fruit-forward than the Cayuse wines of today, its fruit is complemented by plenty of savory nuance. The finish is long and sapid. Jun 2018, www.robertparker.com