McCrea Boushey Grande Cote Vineyard Syrah 2006

Dick Boushey's vineyard sits well above the valley floor in the central Yakima Valley north of Grandview. The steep, south-facing hillside of calcified vesicular basalt captures the sun's intensity and provides for excellent, gradual ripening; long growing conditions; and heightened complexity. It has been described as, "the best syrah vineyard in the state, if not the country" (Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast). Since we began bottling the two single vineyard Syrahs in 1997 – a wonderful contrast we liken to "black and blue" -- the Grande Côte has consistently produced a wine classically Northern Rhône in character. It has aromas of earthiness, leather, cedar, and mushrooms with high-tones of violets, cassis and blueberry (the "blue"); followed by dense flavors of cherry, plum, licorice, smoked meats, pencil lead, toasted nuts and truffle. It finishes with great acidity – an assurance of its excellent cellaring potential. We expect this wine to drink well for ten to twenty years.