Nose

This bold, concentrated Estate Syrah exudes balance, marrying savory aromas of baking spices, green olive, and garrigue herbs.

Palate

This complex palate shows further flavors of white pepper and smoked game, adorned with juicy plum and accented by exotic floral essences and ripe black fruit. The style is generous and silky, finishing with beautifully integrated tannins.

Growing Conditions

L’Ecole No 41 is a partner in the 190 acre acclaimed Seven Hills Vineyard, which is planted in wind-blown loess of geologically young and mineral-rich soils. Originally planted in 1981,this Certified Sustainable and Certified Salmon-Safe vineyard has been recognized as one of the Ten Great Vineyards of the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

Harvest

Perfectly dry harvest weather extended hang-time resulting in rich color and vibrant fruit flavors, another great vintage for Washington State. A late bud-break in mid April was followed by a warm May with rapid canopy growth. A quick, even bloom set a uniform crop. A cool June contributed to healthy berry growth. July and early August were warm, with occasional heat spikes. Canopies were managed to avoid sunburn and irrigation was micromanaged. Intense cluster thinning was required to control yields. Veraison tracked 2017 in Walla Walla and was slightly ahead in other regions of the state. A brief rainfall shifted early September into cooler weather leading to two months of near-perfect weather conditions for final fruit maturity. Higher sugars were balanced against higher acid levels and wonderfully intense color and tannin extraction, big fruit flavors, and overall balanced structure. Another strong Washington vintage.

Bottling

Bottling Date: February 24, 2020.

Winemaking

Each block was hand-harvested. About 20% of the fruit was fermented whole cluster on stems while the remainder was gently crushed into 1.5 ton stainless steel fermenters. Gentle handling of the fruit through hand punch downs and gravity-assisted movements were utilized throughout the entire winemaking process. The wine was cleanly racked to small oak barrels, 40% new, with four rackings over 18 months.