2016 Tenor Syrah
Syrah loves to grow in Washington State, and we wanted to create a Syrah that showcases the best characteristics of what has become one of Washington’s signature grapes. We’ve worked hard to find that profile that gives people the essence of everything they love to taste in a Washington Syrah, all in one bottle. Tenor Syrah is a Syrah-lover’s Syrah in that it is a balanced and complete expression of everything that varietal can be: seductive and opulent, but still remarkably fresh and nuanced. This is a Tenor wine, so it’s big on texture and un-apologetically fruit forward, but tempered by well-integrated acidity and ultrafine tannins.This wine is currently not available. Join the mailing list to stay informed about Tenors releases.
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"Very attractive and modern with dark plums and blackberries, abundant spices and tidy oak treatment, all making for a complex young syrah. The palate has deep flavors, presented in a tidy, fresh and assuredly balanced mode. Drink over the next decade."
94 points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
Tasting Notes
Intoxicating nose of wild flowers, blackberries, black currants, sweet smoke, fine leather, cured meats and spice. A swirl shows the sheer depth of this wine with tons of black fruits, spice and some savory notes creeping in the background. Ripe but complex with phenomenal textural richness and a freshness not usually found in a wine this prodigious. Incredibly long with lingering black fruits, spice and powdery tannins.
Scores & Reviews
"Made from 100% Syrah from the Columbia Valley, the 2016 Syrah sports a saturated purple color to go with beautiful notes of crème de cassis, vanilla-laced raspberries, crushed flowers, and baking spices. With fabulous purity, no hard edges, and a great finish, it's a fruit forward, pure, impeccably balanced beauty to drink over the coming 8-10 years."
94 points - Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
"An instant success, the 2016 Syrah erupts out of the glass with clearly defined aromas of summer sausage with juicy ripe fruit expressions of black raspberry, blackberry you with smoked strawberry blossoms and rich black pepper notions in the glass. Full-bodied, the palate is focused with a bright core of ripe fruit and oak spices before flavors of sweet oak essence coat the palate. The expression is deliciously balanced and complex as it concludes with a bold and lingering finish that continues to evolve on the palate after a minute. This is a tasty Syrah, earning the highest marks for Tenor Wines this report. It comes highly recommended and will be worth the trouble to seek out a bottle."
93+ points - Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate
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90 points - Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast
"Bright dark ruby. Aromas of musky black raspberry, blackberry, licorice and dark chocolate, plus a complicating herbal element. Plush and concentrated but also spicy and energetic, conveying a dark berry fruit sweetness that's less apparent in the Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec bottlings. This tactile, varietally intense wine finishes with fine-grained tannins and excellent length. A delicious Syrah with lovely savory lift and harmonious oak."
91 points - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Wine Facts
Appellation:
Columbia Valley
Vineyard(s):
Lawrence Scarline Vineyard, Va Piano Vineyard
Varietal Composition:
100% Syrah
Aging:
100% concrete tanks. Aged in 86% new French oak barrels.
Alcohol:
15.1%
Cases Produced:
376
Drinkability:
Now-2026
Trade Materials
Download:
2016 Tenor Syrah - Tasting Tech Sheet
Additional Information about this Vintage
Vinification Upon entering the winery, each lot is hand sorted, destemmed and re-sorted prior to the crush. We do not ferment in whole clusters, because we prefer a purer, fruit-driven style. 2016 Tenor Syrah is fermented in a 100% concrete tanks. We make the decisions about how to ferment on a per lot, per year basis. Just one of the ways we strive to maintain consistency while respecting the unique character of the fruit we get in any given year.
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