Ratings & Tasting Notes:
98 points Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 07/2022
Leading off the Syrahs and showing gorgeously, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional style in its sweet black raspberry, currant, leafy herb, charcoal, spring flower, and violet-laced aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, a thrilling core of sweet fruit, and one hell of an impressive finish. Rocks Syrah doesn’t get much better.
98 points Wine Advocate
Review Date: 10/2022
Co-fermented with 4% Viognier, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a classic expression of Walla Walla Syrah and delightfully emulates in a Côte-Rôtie style. Aromas of soft red and white flower petals lift from the glass with a purity of fruit as delightful orange zest and potpourri essences sway on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is picturesque with a sincere and vivid profile, immaculate structure and impeccable balance. It offers flavors of hung sausage and rose petals with notions of red and black spice tones before concluding with a long, lingering finish that begs me back for more. This is absolutely stellar juice! Bravo! (AM)
97 points Int’l Wine Review
Review Date: 10/2022
The 2019 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah from Cayuse is outstanding. It begins with striking aromatics of black raspberries and red currants, followed by spices, pepper, fresh florals, bacon and wet stones all taking shape. On the palate this is medium/full bodied, beautifully balanced and focused, with a gorgeous texture and a wonderful mineral laced core, which expands seamlessly into the long lingering finish. This is a sensational bottle of Syrah that is already quite expressive, but should also continue to evolve beautifully in the cellar. Composed of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. (JD)
97 points James Suckling
Review Date: 02/2022
An expressive nose of cracked black pepper, black cherry and an array of dried herbs. Medium-to full-bodied with incredible spicy character. So much going on here. Silky, fruit-soaked tannins. The supple dark fruit is accented by peppercorn, dried ginger, bay leaf, basil and oolong. Umami. Superb. Co-fermented with 4% viognier. Drink or hold.
Cult Wines International Notes:
Cayuse Vineyards, established in 1997 by the visionary Christophe Baron, is a cornerstone of the Walla Walla Valley and a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Washington State. The estate’s history began when Baron, a native of Champagne, discovered a field of basalt cobblestones that bore a striking resemblance to the “galets” of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Recognizing the potential of this unique terroir, he founded Cayuse, naming it after the local Indigenous tribe. The Cailloux Vineyard, planted in 1997, was Baron’s first foray into this stony landscape. It is particularly renowned for its co-fermentation of Syrah with a small percentage of Viognier—a classic Northern Rhône technique that enhances the wine’s floral aromatics and silky texture, resulting in a bottling that perfectly balances savory, umami-driven complexity with elegant lift.
The 2019 growing season in Walla Walla was defined by a long, cool spring that delayed bud break, followed by a temperate and steady summer. Unlike previous scorching years, 2019 allowed the vines a measured pace of development without heat stress. A critical cold snap in early October necessitated a swift conclusion to the harvest, but the fruit from the Cailloux Vineyard had already reached an ideal balance of phenolic ripeness and natural acidity. This extended “hang time” was instrumental in preserving the vibrant, high-toned floral notes of the Viognier and the peppery, saline character of the Syrah. The 2019 vintage is celebrated for its incredible aromatic precision and structural poise, offering a more nuanced and “nervous” energy compared to the broader, riper profiles of warmer years.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Outstanding condition. One of the 3 bottles has a minor label rip (pictured). The other 2 are perfect.
