-
2017 Januik Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (11/14/2020)
Day 1: Roasted meats, cherry, spice, blueberries, mint, charcoal and dust. Concentrated effort and flavorful. Medium to long finish. Big style wine. 91 points
Day 2: Normally I find a newer vintage Syrah will improve on day 2 but this one has not. Less pronounced fruits, spice, underbrush, charcoal and red meats. Lacks the concentration and intensity of day 1. 89 points
Day 2.5: Talk about a transformation from earlier today. Black olives, stone, dust, blueberries, white pepper, raspberries and roasted meats. This is a dead ringer for the rocks district now. Wow! 93 points
Day 3: Similar to day 2.5. Black olives, dust, funk, stones, raspberries, white pepper and roasted meats. Medium plus finish. 93 points
Recommendation: This wine has evolved more than just about any wine I have tasted this year. In your face on the pop and pour but developed a lot on day 2.5/3. Hold and drink after 2023. (93 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Really cool note(s), John, thanks. One of the best things about Januik wines is the price! Mid-30s for a 93 point wine ain’t too shabby!
Miss going there. Really nice place to visit and taste wines and play bocce ball.
Really cool note(s), John, thanks. One of the best things about Januik wines is the price! Mid-30s for a 93 point wine ain’t too shabby!
Love their Chards too. Agree one of the better values in domestic wine.
Miss going there. Really nice place to visit and taste wines and play bocce ball.
They certainly have a lot of wines open to taste!
2018 Januik Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (10/26/2021)
Day 1: This is good but not the intensity of the previous bottle. Smoked meats, dust, dried leaves, red currants and underbrush. Hopefully this will improve over the course of the night and day 2/3. 90 points
Day 2: Another day 2 success story! Similar to the first bottle with roasted meats, pepper, cherry, raspberries, smoke and minerals. Much more pronounced on day 2 and the fruit is showing. For sure a healthy decant if you are drinking this on day 1. 92 points
Day 3: Again better than day 1. There is a nice perfume quality to the wine on day 3. White pepper, roasted meats, raspberries, blueberries and cherry. Mineral streak on the finish and absolutely a great value. 93 points
Recommendation: Buy! (93 points)
Bottle tight on day 1 but opened up big time.