Winemaker Notes
The vineyard is located in the ancient riverbed of the Walla Walla River on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. The topsoil consists of 12-18” inches of a mix of silty loam and basalt cobblestones. Beneath is a layer of pure compacted cobblestones, hundreds of feet deep in places.
Blend: 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the Syrahs and showing gorgeously, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional style in its sweet black raspberry, currant, leafy herb, charcoal, spring flower, and violet-laced aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, a thrilling core of sweet fruit, and one hell of an impressive finish. Rocks Syrah doesn't get much better.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Co-fermented with 4% Viognier, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a classic expression of Walla Walla Syrah and delightfully emulates in a Côte-Rôtie style. Aromas of soft red and white flower petals lift from the glass with a purity of fruit as delightful orange zest and potpourri essences sway on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is picturesque with a sincere and vivid profile, immaculate structure and impeccable balance. It offers flavors of hung sausage and rose petals with notions of red and black spice tones before concluding with a long, lingering finish that begs me back for more.
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James Suckling
An expressive nose of cracked black pepper, black cherry and an array of dried herbs. Medium-to full-bodied with incredible spicy character. So much going on here. Silky, fruit-soaked tannins. The supple dark fruit is accented by peppercorn, dried ginger, bay leaf, basil and oolong. Umami. Superb. Co-fermented with 4% viognier.
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Wine Spectator
Dynamic and well-sculpted, this Syrah is Washington at its best, offering rich and fragrant river stone, blueberry, fresh violet and bacon fat flavors that build tension and distinction on the long, savory finish.
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.”
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.