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: 2013 Cayuse "Armada Vineyard" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

2013 Cayuse "Armada Vineyard" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

SKU #1278483 98 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark Offering up notes of cracked black pepper, black truffles, smoked duck, plums, blackberry and violet, the 2013 Syrah Armada Vineyard isn't as powerful or texturally lavish as the 2014, but at this early stage it appears to be longer and more intense. At 13.4%, it's also slightly lower in alcohol. It's full-bodied, sapid and layered, displaying excellent cut and energy ... (WK) Inner quote mark (6/2018)

95 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Bright ruby-red. Blueberry, blackberry, huckleberry and a hint of peat moss on the nose, lifted by high notes of licorice and pepper. Extremely youthful and tightly wound but already delivers outstanding fruit intensity and compelling sweetness leavened by strong salinity. More horizontal than vertical in the mouth, finishing wonderfully broad, dense and long, with a whiplash of savory raspberry and spices and a sexy hint of incipient truffle. Like the Pacienca vineyard, which supplies the fruit for Christophe Baron's No Girls wines, these vines are planted to a dense 6-by-4-foot spacing. (ST) 95+ Inner quote mark (11/2016)

94 points Decanter

Outer quote mark This vintage was poured at the walk-around tasting after the seminar. It has Armada’s typical intensity, density and savoury-sweet berry fruit, but not the power and vertical depth of the 2014. Instead the flavours are broad and complex, and it has lower alcohol and a very long, saline finish. The 2.8ha vineyard was planted in 2001 on grafted vines because Baron expected phylloxera to arrive eventually, which it did in 2019. (EM) Inner quote mark (11/2018)

94 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark The lilac, charcuterie, peat, smoke and black and green-olive aromas are tightly wound. The palate is focused, flavorful and energetic, showing depth and intensity while remaining quite light on its feet. (SS) Inner quote mark (12/2016)

93 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Lithe and delicately layered, with expressive bacon fat, blueberry and cracked pepper flavors that glide into a rich finish of refined, stony tannins. (TF) Inner quote mark (4/2017)

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2013 Cayuse "Armada Vineyard" Walla Walla Valley Syrah

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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