TN: 2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard

Humberto_Dorta · November 10, 2010, 2:54am

2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/9/2010)
The nose is diffictult to describe in its complexity. I drank a half of a bottle in about 3 hours. At first, all bacon fat and oak. Over time, it threw crushed black pepper, intensely ripe berries, mocha, leather, BBQ pork, at times reminded me of Into the Dark on the nose on and off grilled vegetables. The palate tasted almost like tomato soup on pop and pour but after some swirling the tomato notes went away to reveal some salinity, grilled vegetables, raw beef, black pepper, ash, and some oak. There is some fruit in there as well but who cares? This is one of the most interesting wines Ive ever had. The texture is thick and unctuous. These is significant grip in the long finish. Wow.

Jody_Smith · November 10, 2010, 3:40am

Nice. I’ve got to try some of these Syrahs. My first wine off the list comes in tomorrow, but it’s the GOK. I’ll pop one Thanksgiving, but I really need to source some Syrah after your note.

Daniel_McIntosh · November 10, 2010, 4:08am

Humberto Dorta:

2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/9/2010)
The nose is diffictult to describe in its complexity. I drank a half of a bottle in about 3 hours. At first, all bacon fat and oak. Over time, it threw crushed black pepper, intensely ripe berries, mocha, leather, BBQ pork, at times reminded me of Into the Dark on the nose on and off grilled vegetables. The palate tasted almost like tomato soup on pop and pour but after some swirling the tomato notes went away to reveal some salinity, grilled vegetables, raw beef, black pepper, ash, and some oak. There is some fruit in there as well but who cares? This is one of the most interesting wines Ive ever had. The texture is thick and unctuous. These is significant grip in the long finish. Wow.

Posted from CellarTracker

Obviously a flawed wine.

Scott_Ho11owe11 · November 10, 2010, 4:23am

Baby Killer!

I had a 2006 En Cerise Syrah the last two nights. I’ve gotten lazy on taking notes, but on Sunday I threw half the bottle in a decanter and I was 20 feet away playing with my girls and it was seeking me out and taunting me; black olive tapenade, iodine/blood, seaweed, pomagranites. On the palate it had a great balance of tar, pork drippings, black raspberry, and velvet sheets. Night two the fruit got a bit more pronounced but largely the wine stayed its course. Paired it with some Spelt Rotini with some homemade WSU Cougar Gold Cheddar sauce…great pairing!

Anthony_Lombardi · November 10, 2010, 4:30am

Cougar Gold- Hell yeah!

Scott_Ho11owe11 · November 10, 2010, 4:56am

Throw a can in the fridge and forget about it for 2-3 years, sooo yummy! This is a can of the 2007.

David_Walker · November 10, 2010, 1:35pm

Hah! I was just about to post the same thing.

Jared_Wagner · November 10, 2010, 4:24pm

Humberto Dorta:

2007 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/9/2010)
The nose is diffictult to describe in its complexity. I drank a half of a bottle in about 3 hours. At first, all bacon fat and oak. Over time, it threw crushed black pepper, intensely ripe berries, mocha, leather, BBQ pork, at times reminded me of Into the Dark on the nose on and off grilled vegetables. The palate tasted almost like tomato soup on pop and pour but after some swirling the tomato notes went away to reveal some salinity, grilled vegetables, raw beef, black pepper, ash, and some oak. There is some fruit in there as well but who cares? This is one of the most interesting wines Ive ever had. The texture is thick and unctuous. These is significant grip in the long finish. Wow.

Posted from CellarTracker

Berto,

Fantastic note! I can see everything you described in this wine (except for maybe some of the oak). Now you have many other Cayuse you need to try.

Welcome to the revolution!!

Humberto_Dorta · November 10, 2010, 6:06pm

I like the oak.
Ive had 3 or 4 Cayuse in the past, never my bottle, Im still waitlisted. This is the first time I opened one by myself to think about it. I have some En Cerise. Ill have to be more active when I see them pop up.

Erich_Sachse · November 10, 2010, 6:38pm

Berto - thanks for the note – throwing a bottle of this into a Syrah tasting this weekend, looking forward to it…

I need to put these US syrahs in some semblance of an order – I know you have had many – suggestions? Based on your note I have pushed the Cayuse down a couple spots

08 Carlisle Papa’s Block
07 Rudius Alder Springs
05 Lillian Blue (or other Lillian)
07 Saxum JBV
07 Cayuse En Chamberlin
05 Alban Lorraine

Humberto_Dorta · November 10, 2010, 7:06pm

I might flip the Carlisle and Rudius but its almost a toss up. You have them how I would serve them. I would, however, open from the Lillian down at least 12 hours ahead. That is a rock star lineup. None of those would surprise me as WOTN depending on how they show, with the possible exception of the Rudius. The Alban Ive only had once and it blew my mind…

Erich_Sachse · November 10, 2010, 9:31pm

Thanks Berto – yes, a nice lineup (and surrounded by some old world N Rhone and dessert wines) – and don’t worry, we wouldn’t leave Mr Krankl unrepresented – we’ll have an aged SQN earlier in the lineup…

Phillip_Hunt · November 11, 2010, 1:23am

beautiful wine! many floors…

Humberto_Dorta · November 11, 2010, 2:44am

I was wondering about that brother

jbray23 · November 11, 2010, 3:55am

Humberto,
Your tasting notes are the closest that I have read to mine, almost exact. Great wine experience, nice notes.

Jb

Steve_Anderson · November 11, 2010, 7:56am

Great wine! On my short list for WOTY!

Cheers,

Steve

Humberto_Dorta · November 11, 2010, 2:37pm

Yeah…its funny three days before I had been thinking of how I had drank a nice string of good wines with only a few duds but nothing I got excited about for a long time. Enter Cayuse.