Nose
This Rhone style Syrah delivers rich aromatics of
huckleberry, lavender and smoke that capture the essence
of Syrah from this region.
Palate
Replete flavors of supple
blueberry and plum lead to a distinctive blueberry finish
and refined, ripe tannins.
Growing Conditions
After warmer than average 2012 and 2013 vintages, 2014
in Eastern Washington was one of the warmest seasons in
decades with favorable temperature conditions extending
into fall. Overall, 2014 was a pleasant growing season; ripening was
excellent for all varieties in all locations.
Coyote Canyon Vineyard is located in the heart of the Horse Heaven Hills appellation. The blocks Syrah 99 and Syrah 01 were planted on the southern exposed slopes of the vineyard, one of the highest in the appellation. Syrah has an affinity for the region’s warmer days during summer months and coolness during the ripening season. Lower temperatures during ripening concentrate aromatics and enhance complexity. The region’s low rainfall and high wind pressure yields concentrated fruit with depth and varietal expression.
Winemaking
Fruit was handpicked at the peak of ripeness, destemmed,
sorted and placed into stainless steel tanks. A twice-daily
pumpover regime was used to extract color and flavors.
Aging
The wine was then placed into a combination of new and
neutral barrels to finish malolactic fermentation and then
aged in these barrels for 19 months. The final blend was created just prior to bottling.
