Cayuse Cailloux Vineyard Syrah 2020
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Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Christophe’s first Walla Walla Valley vineyard, this 10-acre plot was our first vineyard planted in the stones of Milton Freewater in 1997, and produces this flagship Cailloux Vineyard Syrah.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Such expressive and earnest syrah character, with swathes of peppery aromas here. White pepper, rosemary stems, salted olives, wild raspberries, licorice, smoked meat and grilled herbs on the nose, with a hint of peach. Focused and tight on the palate, with medium body and very tight tannins. Mineral and peppery. 96% syrah and 4% viognier, co-fermented. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
It’s funk and flowers time, with fresh-turned soil mixing it up with cherry blossom, blackcap raspberry, amaretto cookie and leather aromas. The medium-bodied wine possesses bright acidity, fine-grained tannins and flavors of cassis, lemon, pork fat and a doppio espresso.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The only Syrah from this great estate that's co-fermented with Viognier, the 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as classic Rocks (or as Christophe likes to call the region, the Stones) aromatics of red and black cherries, sous bois, smoked earth, rose petals, and ground pepper. It's another more medium to full-bodied, very pretty, graceful, balanced release from this team offering fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. As with many 2020s here, it doesn't have the density of the great vintages but shines for its beautiful balance and purity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Displaying a deep magenta core, the 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was made with 4% Viognier. The nose is spicy, focused and firm with hints of reduction, savory herbs, black and green peppercorn, bitter black tea, dark cherry skin and wilted flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the palate displays a firm tannic edge that grows in amplitude before showing subtle flavors of stewed cherries, roasted almonds and hints of vanilla. It ends with a food-friendly and generous finish. The wine rested for 18 months in about 20% new French oak barrels. 10,392 bottles produced.
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Wine Spectator
Attractive and refined, with handsome blueberry and raspberry flavors accented by river stone and black olive. Builds structure and tension toward medium-grained tannins.
Other Vintages
2021-
Robert
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James
Suckling
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Robert
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James
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James
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Robert
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An adventure in the new world
Christophe Baron grew up among the vineyards and cellars of his family's centuries-old Champagne house, Baron Albert. His sense of adventure, however, led him to become the first Frenchman to establish a winery in Washington State.
While visiting the Walla Walla Valley in 1996, Christophe spotted a plot of land that had been plowed up to reveal acres of softball-sized stones. This stony soil, this terroir, was just like that of some of the most prestigious French appellations. The difficult ground would stress the grapevines, making them produce more mature, concentrated fruit.
He named his vineyard after the Cayuse, a Native American tribe whose name was taken from the French cailloux--which means, rocks. Hours of back-breaking work later, Cayuse Vineyards has become five vineyards encompassing 41 acres.
The majority is planted with Syrah, and the rest dedicated to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Tempranillo and Viognier. All of the vineyards are planted in rocky earth within the Walla Walla Valley appellation. Cayuse was the first winery in Washington State to use biodynamic farming methods.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.