Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Located in The Rocks District at an elevation of 1,000 feet, the Funk Vineyard is known for its structured Syrahs. Think of a field of lavender: That’s what emerges from this charming red. Sweetened by mulberry and blueberry, mocha and salinity find their way in before graphite and cured meats come into play with balsamic on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Opaque at its core with a purple rim, the 2018 Syrah Red Mountain opens with a deep, dense and concentrated nose with elements of mulberry, black pepper and spiced blackberry reduction. Full-bodied, the palate displays a kiss of residual sugar before revealing savory herbs, tried lavender, black peppercorn, elements of cured meats and fine-grained tannins. The wine concludes with a long-lingering, spicy and juicy finish and should remain food-friendly for years to come. It rested for 17 months in oak, 31% new French.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A coveted source of top quality red grapes among premier Washington producers, the Red Mountain AVA is actually the smallest appellation in the state. As its name might suggest, it is actually neither a mountain nor is it composed of red earth. Instead the appellation is an anticline of the Yakima fold belt, a series of geologic folds that define a number of viticultural regions in the surrounding area. It is on the eastern edge of Yakima Valley with slopes facing southwest towards the Yakima River, ideal for the ripening of grapes. The area’s springtime proliferation of cheatgrass, which has a reddish color, actually gives the area the name, "Red" Mountain.
Red Mountain produces some of the most mineral-driven, tannic and age-worthy red wines of Washington and there are a few reasons for this. It is just about the hottest appellation with normal growing season temperatures commonly reaching above 90F. The soil is particularly poor in nutrients and has a high pH, which results in significantly smaller berry sizes compared to varietal norms. The low juice to skin ratio in smaller berries combined with the strong, dry summer winds, leads to higher tannin levels in Red Mountain grapes.
The most common red grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, among others. Limited white varieties are grown, namely Sauvignon blanc.
The reds of the area tend to express dark black and blue fruit, deep concentration, complex textures, high levels of tannins and as previously noted, have good aging capabilities.