Reynvaan Foothills Reserve Syrah 2019
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The “Foothills in the Sun” vineyard is at the base of the Blue Mountains on the Washington/Oregon border. The vineyard is planted with Syrah, Viognier, a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon and is one of the highest elevation vineyards in Washington. It sits at 1600 ft. with a gradual western and southwestern exposure. Temperatures can be in the 90’s and drop almost forty degrees at night which helps to retain natural acidity and freshness in the wines. The soils consist of deep silty loam, with small amounts of clay, iron and pockets of rocks.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From the same vineyard (Foothills in the Sun), the 2019 Syrah Foothills Reserve is 100% Syrah and sports a slightly deeper ruby/plum color as well as a more funky, meaty, nutty style in its ripe red and black fruits as well as notes of cured meats, chocolate, cedar, and spring flowers. It too shows the fresher, elegant style of the vintage yet has plenty of intensity, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Drink this complex, complete, impressive Syrah over the coming 10-12+ years.
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Wine Spectator
Deeply structured yet light on its feet, this offers detailed green peppercorn, bacon fat and blueberry flavors that expand and take on richness toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2030.
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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.