2016 Syrah – StoneTree Vineyard : Wahluke Slope

This Syrah is sourced from StoneTree Vineyard on the Wahluke Slope near Mattawa at the end of O Road. This vineyard-designated wine has become a staple for us, again with a touch of Viognier from Zillah. This warm location produced a full-bodied Syrah that is deep and rich with a traditional style. Dark fruits are forward with savory spices, roasted nuts, and earthiness covered with dark chocolate at the end. Moderate acid levels let this wine please you on its own or with your favorite umami dominant foods, grilled or roasted. 

• Bottled 8/4/18
• 100 cases produced
• Alcohol 15.1%
• pH 3.61, TA 6.3 g/L

95% Syrah (StoneTree Vineyard)
5% Viognier (Marcela Vineyard)

Barrels: This wine was aged 22 months in Export-style barrels of 25% once used French oak from Ton. Doreau, and seasoned French oak from Alain Fouquet, Ton. Vernou, and Ton. de Jarnac. All barrels included French oak infusion by Canton Cooperage.

Bright ruby-red. Deep, somewhat high-toned aromas of dark berries, black olive tapenade, menthol, dark chocolate and mocha. Fat, plush and broad, displaying slightly medicinal but fine-grained flavors of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, black olive, menthol and violet. This wine delivers more breadth and palate presence than most of Nota Bene's 2016s from Bordeaux varieties, not to mention length on the aftertaste. There's nothing over the top about this Syrah, which has a moderate pH of 3.61 (vs. 3.88 for the 2015 release!) and good density of material. Firm, dusty tannins should support several years of development in bottle. In addition to giving this wine 22 months in barrels, 20% of them once-used, winemaker Tim Narby gave this wine an additional oak infusion by adding one-inch round toasted oak balls from Canton Cooperage to the barrels. (15.1% alcohol)-- Stephen Tanzer - Drinking Window 2020 - 2025