2016 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah

Bright dark red. Alluring savory perfume of raspberry, smoke, pork rind, African violet and red licorice. Wonderfully fine-grained, pretty wine with terrific energy and inner-mouth lift, but still youthfully tight and in need of aging compared to Elizabeth Bourcier's own No Girls Syrah. The flavors of red fruits and spices are perked up by a suggestion of apricot pit that I often find in Côte-Rôties made with a bit of Viognier. This beautifully filled-in midweight boasts stunning aromatic complexity--and its perfumed complexity belies its 4.0 pH. (vinified with 70% whole clusters; aged in 15% new demi-muids )

This syrah is co-fermented with some viognier (the only Cayuse wine to do this) and it has an ethereal edge of yellow plums, white pepper, bacon fat and flowers, all in the mix. A lot of whole-cluster influence here (60-70%). The palate has such deep-set fresh fruit and an attractive, long and juicy feel that carries a silky, long finish. Effortlessly exotic. Drink or hold.

The 2016 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard checks in as 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier that was fermented with roughly 70-80% stems and brought up in 15% new demi-muids and foudre. This beauty has incredible elegance and purity as well as full-bodied richness, complex notes of blackberry, cherries, stone hearth, decayed flowers, and salted meats, and a savory style that’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or more. After a catastrophe with their 2015s due to a cork issue, Cayuse is certainly back on top with these latest 2016s. This is a great vintage for Cayuse and they’ve knocked it out of the park with both their Rhone and Bordeaux variety releases.