Beautiful aromas of raspberries, spiced plums, dried violets, tobacco, smoked meat, herbs and balsamic. It’s full-bodied and so supple with melting tannins. Wonderful texture with a round, rich and savory finish. Drink or hold.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: Beginning with a brilliant and seductively aromatic nose, the 2018 Syrah Bionic Frog rockets out of the glass with a stunning array of juicy fruit tones, baked earth and a dusty, floral sensation with intoxicating elements of smoked beef and black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the Syrah summersaults across the palate with excitement and finesse, offering up spicy flavors of black raspberry compote, spiced chutney, hints of olive tapenade and a lively mineral tension. It offers pristine tannins and a succulent mouthfeel that lavishly lays on the mid-palate. Concluding with a long, winding and ever-evolving finish, the 2018 is flirting with triple digits. The wine rested for 19 months in a mix of French demi-muids and foudre, 20% new. Outstanding!
- James Suckling: Beautiful aromas of raspberries, spiced plums, dried violets, tobacco, smoked meat, herbs and balsamic. It’s full-bodied and so supple with melting tannins. Wonderful texture with a round, rich and savory finish. Drink or hold.
Producer Information
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.
