World renowned. Washington grown.
2000 Grand Estates Syrah
Tasting Notes
“A great looking wine with intense aromas of blackberry and cocoa. This Rhone-style Syrah fills the senses with strong fruit expression. The fruit becomes an ideal backdrop for the spice, cocoa and white pepper extracted during barrel aging. This rich, balanced and velvety wine is a good introduction to the approachable, delicious Syrahs coming from Washington state.” - Doug Gore, Winemaker
Vintage
- Mild winter temperatures gave way to bud break 10 days earlier than normal.
- Temperatures were warm during April and May, though the weather turned cool and wet, a pattern that held through mid-June.
- July and August produced warm weather and cloud-free skies, though cool temperatures returned in late-August and modestly delayed the ripening period.
- Additional hang time contributed to the ideal sugar accumulation and flavor maturity.
Vineyards
- A relative newcomer to Washington state, acreage for the Syrah grape has increased substantially in the past few years.
- Syrah has an affinity for the Columbia Valley; it grows well in all regions within the appellation.
- Columbia Valley vineyards are seated east of the Cascade Mountain range. Up to 14,000 feet high, the mountains effectively block eastward-moving wet weather systems from the Pacific Ocean.
- Just 6 to 8 inches of rainfall reach the growing region annually. Vineyards are 100% drip irrigation.
- The soils have low fertility and low water-holding capacity, allowing precise control of vine growth patterns.
- Vines are planted north to south on south and southeast facing slopes.
Winemaking
- Individual grape lots were harvested during cool, pre-dawn hours to ensure grape flavors were ideally balanced.
- Grapes were crushed and fermented on the skins for six days using a combination of yeasts to create an array of blending options.
- The juice was pumped over the cap gently two times daily to extract optimum color, aromas and flavors.
- The wine aged in French (50%) and American (50%) oak barrels for 16 months. Approximately 85% of the barrels were new oak.
- The master blend included 8% of Grenache, which added structure and further fruit dimension to the palate.
Technical Data
- Total acidity: 0.60 g/100ml
- pH: 3.71
- Alcohol: 13.8%
- Blend: 92% Syrah, 8% Grenache
Food Pairing
Leg of lamb, beef stew