Great event this weekend per usual. The following wines were being poured:
God Only Knows
Camaspelo
Lovers
Cailloux
Aramada
En Chamberlin
Bionic Frog
Impulsivo
En Cerise
I found the Lovers and Camaspelo to be more tannic and structured than years past. The Syrahs stole the show and my clear favorites were the En Chamberlin and Frog.
Sounds like the Hors Categorie project is set to launch next spring and Christophe’s Champagne project in 2019 or so.
Flying in from Seattle instead of driving was a game changer. Props to Alaska Airlines for allowing us to check a case of wine each at no charge.
It is technically an Oregon Grenache (grown and produced in Oregon), and it is different than ANY other Washington Grenache, as no WA AVA creates the same kinds of wines as The Rocks in OR. As a Washington Grenache producer, I don’t think it is appropriate to paint WA Grenache with a GoK paintbrush.
Ah. Apologies. I tasted various grenaches over many years. I meant it as a general broad stroke. Personally, of course, I’m not a fan of the cayuse GoK And/OR any Washington grenaches.
I’ve found that the GOK needs a few years of rest to show its stuff. Mark , stop by Januik.Mike made a really nice Grenache last year for Novelty Hill , low 20’s if memory serves.
God Only Knows is never my favorite and it wasn’t again this year. Seemed like a nod to the old days in some ways after the more pedestrian GOK we tasted 2 years ago. Mel really liked this GOK.
Love Camaspelo, loving the structure. Why folks diss this I’ll never know. This is the wine that has improved the most since we began purchasing in 06.
Lovers was good, not great. Fruit maybe a bit sweet. Could be I am just not a big fan of Bordeaux + Rhone grapes.
With the Viognier Cailloux always shows great and this year was no exception. Delightful. 5% Viognier, co-fermented for the geeks.
En Cerise was really nice, and a bit of old Cayuse funk, but I preferred Cailloux.
En Chamberlin is always the wine I don’t get to purchase that bums me out the most. So much attack here. Loved the two tastes I had.
Bionic Frog isn’t always the show stopper but it sure was Saturday. Legend in the making, Mel loved this best as well.
Armada had more stuff at the edges of the plate than some other vintages we have tasted. I have written this before and still think it is the most California Syrah of the line-up.
Impulsivo was crazy young, who knows. Darkness, darkness hide my yearning.
Food was delicious and impressive, the cheese puffs + the BF was about as perfect a pairing as small tastes can be. Fun to see old friends, and hang with some new as well. Missed seeing Trevor this year, hope all is well with him.
A couple of quick questions and perhaps a comment or two. I had to have a delegate pick up unfortunately as I got stuck at baseball tournaments in Wenatchee. So close, so far.
Remind me which vintages these are? Are they the same as pick up or a future release? Has been 3 years since baseball hasn’t interfered.
Re: Grenache… I think almost all west coast grenache tends to have that same candied quality to it. The wineries that oak only disguise it. If there are any good ones they are usually GSM and heavier to the M.
Ok thanks. Sounds like mostly next years pick up (wines just purchased in the fall). It is sort of a weird system to taste wines that you already had to commit to, but nice to taste what you bought, I guess.
I was able to go for the first time this year as a delegate and had a great time, and found it pretty educational. I felt like the Armada had the most initial appeal of the Syrahs but had to keep in mind that it was actually a finished wine vs the barrel samples that rounded out the lineup. Of the samples I thought the Frog tasted the most complete and satisfying, no elbows sticking out and had a nice harmony to it that I thought the others lacked. I liked that the En Cerise, Cailloux, and En Chamberlin all offered different dominant characteristics, I liked the Chamberlin for its more meaty, sauvage character, and the Cerise had a nice bit of funk, while the Cailloux was more floral. Lauren really liked the Lovers, she’s been digging Cab/Syrah lately so it’s no surprise. I think Rocks Grenache needs some time to chill out and is always a bit harsh at first, the GoK was no exception. I really like where it ends up but 3-5 years past vintage is usually mandatory before it starts to be any fun to drink. Impulsivo was good too and had it not been at the end I’d probably have liked it more.
At minimum it is 5+ years. Probably longer but I’ll let others weigh in. You should consider signing up for Horsepower. Similar wines albeit more expensive and to that end I think the waiting list is considerably shorter.
I signed up at the end of '09 and got on the end of '16, seven years for me. I signed up for No Girls on the second day, out of town on first day open, and got on last year and received wines plus wish list this year. Pricing similar to Cayuse. I was offered Horse Power last year and declined to order, the pricing was double Cayuse and way outside what I want to spend.
Syrah needs less cellar time than Bordeaux wines or Impulsivo. I am auctioning off 3 wines for my new hospital the 22nd: 13 BF, 12 Thomas PN and 14 SQN Waterdance Syrah. Feel free to make a bid!
I’m with you, I signed up about a year ago as well, after trying a '10 En Chamberlin, which was amazing. As for now I’m stuck buying the retail or at auctions.
