[wine] WA state Syrah

The Chronicle Wine Selections: Washington state Syrah Jon BonnéFriday, August 22, 2008 Some familiar names were missing from this year's lineup, but Washington state again showed its potential. Vintners have been aided by two stable vintages, 2005 and 2006, both of which offered a cool spring and hot, dry summer, relief after 2004's devastating freeze. As always, Washington's potential to balance ripeness and acidity, thanks in part to its cool harvest seasons, was evident. Though Washington state remains on a winery growth spurt - 540 and counting - most of the names we encountered among the 30 wines tasted turned out to be familiar, a sign that quality isn't wavering even among large, established properties. Our 10 recommendations span the range from recognizable supermarket offerings to near-cult efforts, which should be no surprise given the region's abilities with this grape. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Abeja Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($32) Winemaker John Abbott is better known for his refined Cabernet and Chardonnay, but this Syrah from the Mill Creek Vineyard shows the same restraint and elegance. A sweet oak-driven nose offers spicy smoked bacon, polished blueberry and white flowers. Slightly soft, generous edges mask a solid grip to the finish. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Cadaretta Columbia Valley Syrah ($32) Rick Middleton's family got its start in logging near the Washington coast in the late 19th century. More recently, they invested in Walla Walla on the other end of the state, hiring the talented Virginie Bourgue, formerly at Bergevin Lane, as winemaker. This promising blend from such noted vineyards as Pepper Bridge and Alder Ridge, offers up terrific aromas of herb tea, charred wood, cured meat and plum. The palate is sweet and tangy, though rougher tannins dominate slightly. Give it air to smooth things out. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2005 Chateau Ste. Michelle Ethos Columbia Valley Syrah ($28) Ethos is the top tier of wines from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington's largest winery. The wines are typically made from a blend of the best vineyard sites, in this case a blend of two hot sites: the Wahluke Slope and Ste. Michelle's Cold Creek vineyard. It's deep, leathery, full-bore Syrah, with lots of rich oak and extract, and gobs of brown spice - nutmeg and allspice. But it remains taut on the palate even with loads of dark fruit, still a bit jammy but lifted. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2006 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Columbia Valley Shiraz ($13) The Columbia Crest label, owned by Ste. Michelle, has made itself into one of the most consistent dollar-for-dollar values on the market. This 30,500-case mainline bottling is made from a mix of appellations - Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope and Yakima Valley - and offers fine black pepper, blue plum and a touch of classic bacon fat, leading to a rich cherry profile, impressively expansive mouthfeel and salty hints on the finish. Drink now. Rating: TWO STARS 2006 Hogue Columbia Valley Shiraz ($10) This pioneering Columbia Valley winery, now owned by Constellation Brands, still turns out good-value bottlings, and these days is naming them to match the market - note this $10 effort is Shiraz, while the $16 Genesis gets the Syrah moniker. In any case, the Shiraz side of the coin is actually quite lean and peppery, if a touch green, with a fresh palate of tart plum and some amply ripe tannin that adds a bit of depth. Rating: TWO STARS 2006 K Vintners Pheasant Vineyard Wahluke Slope Syrah ($35) This is a new vineyard for K, located outside Mattawa and owned by the Milbrandt family, which helped pioneer the Wahluke area for wine. It's a touch rustic, with a savory cheese-like note, whole peppercorns and overt alcohol on the nose, leading to soft, generous, slightly savory fruit - like a salted bowl of cherries. Rating: THREE STARS 2006 K Vintners Cougar Hills Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($50) Walla Walla's Charles Smith turns out some of Washington's most appealing Syrahs, but it was sad news that 2006 marked his final vintage from this vineyard located near Seven Hills, consistently the site of his best effort. The dense nose offers up layered pepper, fennel seed, burnished cherry and blueberry. That leads to a briny, rich, oak-tinged palate, an impressively broad structure and refined tannins. Completely engaging, and despite the limited production (257 cases), worth the hunt. Rating: TWO STARS 2005 Spring Valley Vineyard Nina Lee Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($50) The Nina Lee Syrah is less well known than the Bordeaux-style wines from this vineyard developed by the Corkrum and Derby families and now controlled by Ste. Michelle. Yet it has often been a standout - powerful, long-lived. That power is still evident in the 2005, but wood notes and tannins dominate. There's still great buoyancy amid sweet cured meat, blackberry and cherry pit notes, but the extract and alcohol (15.6 percent) are a bit over the top. Rating: TWO STARS The Magnificent Wine Company The Originals Columbia Valley Syrah ($20) The label on this negociant effort (which also makes the popular House Wine) conceived by K Vintners' Charles Smith carries the same playful black-and-white look as K's minimalist labels, though the brand is now run by Seattle's Precept Wine Brands. A jammy, slightly sweet profile is matched by punchy Syrah notes of game meat and chamomile amid red-fruit highlights. Tangy, with a savory finish. Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2005 Three Rivers Winery Boushey Vineyards Yakima Valley Syrah ($50) On a Yakima Valley slope, Dick Boushey grows some of Washington's best fruit - always mindful of how vintners use it. Walla Walla's Three Rivers got enough for just 254 cases of wine, but made the most of it. It's a flashier style, with lots of oak (54 percent new) but also white pepper, sweet blueberry and a firm mineral backbone. The tannins are nuanced and refined, and the fruit and aromatics shine through beautifully. Panelists: Jon BonnéChronicle wine editor; Alan Murray, wine director, Masa's. For additional recommended wines, go to sfgate.com/wine. Key: Rating: FOUR STARS Extraordinary Rating: THREE STARS Excellent Rating: TWO STARS Good http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/22/WIKM12BA0G.DTL This article appeared on page F - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle -- ------------------------------ * Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *