Corliss Syrah (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2006
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2006 Syrah spent 30 months in 58% new French oak. It is a velvety, elegant rendition of Syrah that conceals enough structure to evolve for 4-5 years. It will provide optimum drinking through 2021 if not longer.
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Robert
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Robert
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At Corliss, they exercise the discipline to make the highest quality decisions at each stage of winemaking, from vine to bottle. From sustainable, meticulous viticulture in their Estate Vineyards, to individual berry sorting at harvest, to slow native yeast fermentation in micro-scale custom oak and concrete fermenters. They follow this with extended elevage in barrel, rigorous selection of the best lots for blending, and over two years of additional aging in bottle before the wines are finally labeled and available for your enjoyment.
Their winemaking is the result of teamwork and patience. Michael and Lauri Corliss have, from the beginning, been at the center. They are engrossed in every detail and have guided their winemaking philosophy. They are the barometer of consistency for developing the Corliss style. Surrounding Michael and Lauri is a talented staff of winemaking professionals who collectively work together to create the consistently beautiful vintages of Corliss. Their team is joined by Atelier Melka, which is one of the world’s most highly regarded winemaking consultant teams. Working together, they dedicate their best efforts with every vine, every grape and every bottle.
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 large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.