Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Dark and smoky, this wine is relatively tannic and emphasizes flavors of leaf, bark, root and herb. There's plenty of depth and exceptional power to this wine, which seems unique among New World Tempranillos.
Cellar Selection -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Baron's 2009 Impulsivo – from his En Chamberlin vineyard, partly fermented and entirely aged in 70% new 600-liter casks – is scented with smoky cigar ash and tar, supplemented by beet root, and licorice, that collectively instantly give away its being Tempranillo. After the high-toned aromatics, textural refinement, dynamic interplay, and diverse allusions to things mineral that nearly all other 2009 Cayuse offerings had in common, it's a bit difficult coming to terms with something as opaque and massive as this wine, which at one and the same time displays creaminess yet also underlying tannic grit. (So I hope I haven't under-estimated it on account of tasting context.) Saliva-inducing salinity is, thankfully, another Cayuse common denominator on exhibit here and adds enormous appeal to a finish almost dour in its dense, smoky, metaphorically darkly-hued, palate-staining persistence. I suspect that this will reward more than a decade in bottle.
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Wine Spectator
Supple, refined and distinctive for its flavors of black olive and black cherry, with hints of rosemary and thyme on the finish. Offers depth and immense appeal.
Notoriously food-friendly, long-lasting and Spain’s most widely planted grape, Tempranillo is the star variety of red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero. The Rioja terms Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva indicate both barrel and bottle time before release. Traditionally blended in Rioja with Garnacha, plus a bit of Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero typically stands alone. Somm Secret—Tempranillo claims many different names depending on location. In Penedès, it is called Ull de Llebre and in Valdepeñas, goes by Cencibel. Known as Tinta Roriz in Portugal, Tempranillo plays an important role in Port wine.
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.