Cotes de Ciel Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Syrah 2013
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In 1975, Red Mountain was a primitive place. A mixture of grasses, desert wildflowers, and sagebrush dominated the landscape. Most of the year it was brown and dry, with a few weeks of green in the spring. The land was bereft of anything that resembled topsoil. The wheat farmers from the nearby Horse Heaven Hills took one look at the place and turned away. It wasn't worth their effort. Sheepherders had tried to use it as grazing land. They quit. The land didn't bear the kind of fodder that could support a thriving sheep operation. Everything that had been tried had failed. The place was not suited for traditional agriculture.
It was a risk to plant wine grapes on Red Mountain, but there was some evidence that it might work. The soil was well-drained, something wine grapes prefer. The soil also had high calcium carbonate concentrations, a trait that is common in the great wine-growing regions of the world. Common sense held that if vineyards in Washington were going to be successful, they would have to grow white grape varieties from northern Europe. As a result of this thinking, Chardonnay and Riesling dominated the first plantings, with a smattering of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Sunrise over Red Mountain vineyards, WashingtonIt was a risk to plant wine grapes on Red Mountain, but there was some evidence that it might work. The soil was well-drained, something wine grapes prefer. The soil also had high calcium carbonate concentrations, a trait that is common in the great wine-growing regions of the world. Common sense held that if vineyards in Washington were going to be successful, they would have to grow white grape varieties from northern Europe. As a result of this thinking, Chardonnay and Riesling dominated the first plantings, with a smattering of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Over the years, the vineyards thrived. They learned that they grew remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cunoise, Viognier, and Roussanne. While the Riesling and Chardonnay were good, they no longer grow them, as they prefer to grow only those varieties that produce truly exceptional wines.
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.