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: 2013 Cayuse "Bionic Frog" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

2013 Cayuse "Bionic Frog" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

SKU #1230696 97 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The only wine to see partial aging in foudre (20% new), the 2013 Syrah Bionic Frog has an almost Burgundian flair in its forest floor, olive brine, smoked earth, dried flower and darker fruit-styled personality. One of the more streamlined, elegant examples of this cuvee, it still has a serious, lengthy feel, full-bodied richness and building underlying structure that makes me think 3-5 years of cellaring are warranted. (JD) Inner quote mark (6/2016)

96 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Healthy dark red. Pungent aromas of raspberry, dried spices, herbs, truffle, meat, peppercorn, mustard seed and tea leaf. Juicy and rather tight, showing less obvious texture and sweetness than the 2014 bottling but fascinating herb, spice and tea leaf complexity to its compressed core of sappy red fruits. This shows less baby fat today than the 2014 but is spicier and meatier--and a bit sweeter and riper as well. Finishes vibrant and uncompromising, with terrific spicy, meaty length. (ST) Inner quote mark (10/2017)

95 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark Out of the gate this wine reveals quite savory aromas of stems, fire pit, soot, black olive and light flowers. The flavors are intense and tightly wound, showing a lot of structure along with elegance. It's a flat out stunner, showing grace and power as well as a hyper-extended finish. (SS) Inner quote mark (12/2016)

94 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Dark and focused, this is beautifully shaped, with velvety tannins enveloping rich, black olive—laced blackberry and cherry flavors. Smoky notes weave through the long, complex finish. (HS) Inner quote mark (8/2016)

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2013 Cayuse "Bionic Frog" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

Price: $329.99

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Varietal:

Shiraz/Syrah

- One of France's noblest black grape varieties, Syrah is known for its intense and distinctive perfume reminiscent of briar fruit, tar, spice and black pepper and its firm structure. One of few black grape varietals frequently vinified on its own, the best examples of Syrah come from the Northern Rhône, particularly Hermitage, but also Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph. These wines are very astringent in their youth, though some Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph can be enjoyed young, relatively speaking. Given the requisite patience, though, these wines can reveal amazing complexity and secondary fruit characteristics like plum and blackcurrant as well as subtle hints of smoke and flowers. In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is used to add structure and complexity to wines dominated by Grenache and complemented by Mourvèdre, like the more immediately drinkable Côte du Rhônes, as well as the long-lived wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In recent years, plantings of Syrah have spread throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon where it is produced on its own or blended with other varietals. Outside of France, the most important Syrah growing country is easily Australia, where it is called Shiraz. Quality levels here depend greatly on yields and geography, and the wines range from bold, fruity and easy-drinking to intense and ageable, like the famed Penfolds Grange. Often bottled on its own, in Australia Syrah is also can be blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, as in the Southern Rhône, and is increasingly combined with Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah has also been steadily increasing in popularity in California, thanks to a group of advocates called the Rhône Rangers. Its most successful iterations come from the Central and Sonoma Coasts, where winemakers are pushing boundaries and creating some incredible wines. In recent years Syrah has also found a number of proponents in Washington State, which is definitely a region to watch for this variety.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

Washington

- Washington has become one of the most important wine producing states in the United States, and development continues to grow rapidly. In 1969, when California was exploding as a wine producer, Washington had only two wineries, but by 2000 that number had passed 100. Most of Washington's grape crop goes to uses other than wine. Merlot and Chardonnay have been the most successful in Washington. It's interesting to note that Washington's prime wine regions are located at 46° north, along the same latitude as the legendary French wine districts of Bordeaux and Burgundy. During the summer, Washington averages more than two hours more sunlight each day compared to California.

Alcohol Content (%):

13.4