2018Syrah
2018Syrah
The 2018 Tenor Syrah was crafted from two exclusive vineyards in Washington State’s Royal Slope and Yakima Valley. Farmed using sustainable practices with nearly all organic products, the vines were primarily limited to one cluster per shoot or three clusters per spur for maximum concentration. They were then hand-harvested in the early mornings October 11th – October 20th, 2018. Upon arriving in the winery, each cluster was hand-sorted and berry-sorted. Fermented in 60% stainless steel tanks (Scarline VIneyard) and 28% oak barrels (Boushey), with the remaining 12% in stainless steel tanks, resulting in texture variation and aromatic complexity. The wine was then moved to a combination of 500L and 600L French oak puncheons for 19 months of cellaring. After nearly 50 individual evaluations by our winemaking team, these exclusive four puncheons yielded only 239 cases which were bottled on July 8, 2020.
Tasting Notes
Seductive dark fruits, charcuterie, spices and garrigue start the nose. Some plum skin, black currant and blackberry begin to escape with air, along with a chalky minerality wafting in the background. The palate is thick and plush with vibrant acidity and a gorgeous mineral streak coursing from start to finish. Hints of cracked pepper and meaty nuance carry through a long and seductive finish, with a lingering of herbs and blackberry puree.
Labeled Appellation
Varietal Composition
100% Syrah
Awards & Accolades
"The 2018 Syrah is all Syrah brought up in new larger puncheons. A dense purple hue is followed by ripe, powerful notes of blueberries, scorched earths, smoked game, and flowers. It's certainly a modern styled wine, yet it has classic Syrah peppery, gamy wildness, medium to full body, terrific tannins, and a great finish. A beautiful, singular Syrah, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have 15 years of longevity."
- 94+points, Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com
"Black fruit, smoke, grilled meat, game, burnt orange and herbs on the nose. It’s full-bodied with sleek tannins and a silky texture. Savory, smoky and herbal with fresh acidity. Rich flavors. Drink or hold."
- 93 points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
"The 2018 Tenor Syrah is a deep, intense bottling sourced from the Scarline and Boushey vineyards and aged for 19 months in 100% new French puncheons prior to bottling. Smoky and savory notes meld in the beautiful bouquet, joined by shades of black olive tapenade and scorched earth. The palate is rich and soft-textured. This is really great stuff to savor now, with its deep core of roasted fig and black currant flavors alongside plenty of weight and tension and salty undertones. Enjoy this beautiful bottling over the next 10-plus years."
- 93 points, Owen Bargreen, Vinous