K Vintners Cattle King Syrah 2017
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James
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Winemaker Notes
A grown wine showing the vineyard and vintage in such a harmonious way. Purple fruit, mint, black olive and forest floor rest on a foundation of rock. Rich earth, full and compelling perfection.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From a site on Snipes Mountain composed of rocky, basalt soils (steep hillside slopes), the 2017 Syrah Cattle King is all Phelps clone that was not destemmed and was aged in 60% new oak. This deep ruby/plum-colored effort offers a complex bouquet of blackberries, mulberries, menthol, beef blood, and ground pepper. With a Cornas-like gaminess, medium to full body, and ripe, polished tannins, give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Opening with an opulent frame displaying the entire spectrum of fruits from red to blue, the 2017 Syrah Cattle King offers a juicy density and aromas of crème de cassis, boysenberry, black pepper and chocolate. Full-bodied, the boisterous profile seems to go on forever with elements of dark cherry, blackberry and boysenberry essence tied to fine-grained tannins that weigh on the palate with a generous dollop of oak spices. The Cattle King shows power and finesse in a heavyweight frame and ends with a long, bold and chocolaty finish. This is delicious juice.
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James Suckling
Very ripe with blackberries and toffee. Caramel and brown sugar. Big wine. Full and flavorful.
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Wine
Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla Washington, K Vintners opened its doors to the public on December 3rd, 2001. The property at 820 Mill Creek Road where the winery sits was homesteaded in 1853 with the adjacent farmhouse built in 1872. The winery grounds with Titus Creek flowing through the lawn and the old pioneer planted trees, is a little slice of heartland Americana. The Winemaker: He loves to drink wine! Charles Smith, proprietor and winemaker, comes to Walla Walla after 11 years in Scandanavia. Originally from northern California, he has been involved with wine personally and professionally his whole life. And did we forget to mention... he loves to drink wine! The Vineyards: K Vintners is producing wines from 2 distinctive viticultural zones: Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Each of these areas are unique and awesome for Syrah and the Field Blends produced. In April '02 two seperate blocks of vineyards were planted to Syrah adjacent to the winery in the rocky dry creek beds that run through K Vintners property.
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.