2009 Force Majeure Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration Series II

For Force Majeure’s 2009 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Collaboration Series II the inspiration is Northern Rhone and vinificateur Ross Mickel (formerly of Betz) co-ferments with dollops of both Viognier and Roussanne. (Johnson says he goes through all of the available fruit to pick, based on flavor-interest, bunches of Viognier and Roussanne specifically for purposes of co-fermentation, though I can’t say he convinced me that this could be anything but overkill given precisely that purpose, and the mere 1% of each employed.) Perhaps not surprisingly given the choice of Rhone clones of Syrah and the Rhone inspiration, this is initially a bit reduced, and as it opens is more meaty and savory in a saline, bloody way than the corresponding Collaboration III. Scents of mint, violet, gentian, black pepper, and cherry in confitured and distilled formats make for both a striking nose and persistent, polished, sappy, and energetic palate impression. This ought to be fascinating and delightful to follow for at least the better part of a decade. Entrepreneur Paul McBride and vineyard manager Ryan Johnson began what was then known as Grand Reve (but due to a trademark dispute subsequently re-named Force Majeure) in 2005, choosing specific parcels from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard that Johnson farms, and having a range of small lots each vinified by a different well-established Washington winemaker with an ownership share in the wine; at his or her own facility; and with no expense spared by McBride to achieve that winemaker’s vision for the fruit in question. Meantime, McBride and Johnson planted a vineyard of their own in the improbably steep, stony slopes above Ciel du Cheval, with single post-trained (en echalas) vines that, as I mentioned in the introduction to this report, give this site the look of a cross between really steep Mosel, Cote Rotie and a stone quarry. “I didn’t exactly trick him into this,” says Johnson, jocularly yet deadly serious, of his partner McBride. “But I did e-mail him pictures of Guigal’s vineyards, and Chapoutier’s. There’s romance there, sure, but I’ll tell you the truth: I spray every row on that hillside myself, and it’s dangerous. I’m still young enough to do that kind of work – and if I go down, then Paul can take the reins! But, if one of my workers were to do it and get injured, we’d have real trouble on our hands.” The first harvest from this estate vineyard was of Viognier in 2010, blended with a majority of fruit from next-door Ciel du Cheval. Just who will take responsibility for the first estate red wine remains to be seen, though a decision will have to be rendered very soon. (Shockingly, the first – 2010 – crop of Mourvedre was stolen in what has to have been a carefully planned, high-risk, surgically executed heist that left the peripheral rows unscathed, thereby delaying discovery. Despite a stiff reward, apparently no serious suspect has been fingered.) As his small estate vineyard comes into production, McBride says he has no intention of curtailing his aforementioned Ciel du Cheval “Collaboration” series, “not as long as they’re enjoying it and we’re enjoying it and it’s working for all parties.”