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2020 Hors Categorie Hors Categorie Vineyard Syrah

WE 99

VN 98

JS 98

JD 97

WA 95

Not Currently In Auction

Estimate

RATINGS

99Wine Enthusiast

...flirts with perfection in rarefied air. Black-and-blueberry aromas waltz gracefully with notes of thyme, a fresh-mowed hay field and bacon just hitting the griddle...perfectly balanced...with medium weight, lemony acidity and flavors like ripe blackberries, aged balsamic and black tea.

98Vinous / IWC

...darkly alluring and rich blend of plum sauce and sage complemented by dusty rose, balsamic spice and sweet smoke...textural joy ride, silky and deep, with blood orange nuances adding tension. A juicy acidity creates an energetic feel, and saline minerals pinch at the cheeks... It tapers off dramatically long, and with a crystalline tannic structure.

98James Suckling

...complex nose with blackberries, spiced plum skins, roasted meat, baking spices and rocky soil. Full-bodied, big and broad-shouldered with firm tannins that are little chewy. Deep and structured...long and steady with rocky minerality going on for minutes.

97Jeb Dunnuck

Ripe red and black cherries, leafy herbs, crushed stone, forest floor, violets, and smoked meat notes...deep, full-bodied, concentrated Syrah with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. The purity, precision, and length here are truly something...shockingly good.

95The Wine Advocate

Beginning with dusty aromas of spiced plum, dark cherry and black raspberry with hints of sage and cherry blossoms...savory, fresh and spicy. Full-bodied, tertiary and firmly structured...precise and finessed on the palate, with a food-friendly mouthfeel, succulent spicy cherries and hints of umami notes...continues to somersault over the long, lingering, mineral-laced finish.

REGION

United States, Oregon, Walla Walla Valley

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

TYPE

Red Wine, Syrah (Shiraz)

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.