Dalla Vina Syrah 06
This wine's aromas lead with sawdust (in a good way) and black plum, as well as the floral peachy scent of superripe fruit. Its flavors are black as night, fig and plum fruit, with cappuccino accents. For rare steak. Prior vintage notes: Wine Spectator 90 points: "Smooth in texture, with crisp, juicy raspberry and blueberry flavors that play against refined tannins and a hint of toast as the finish persists. Has high alcohol, but feels crisp. Drink now through 2011. 250 cases made." H.S.
91 points "EXCEPTIONAL" - Wine & Spirits: "Made from grapes from Slide Mountain Vineyard on the cool western end of the Yakima Valley in Washington, this wine has a bright, black cherry scent with leafy, earthy accents, and plenty of youthful energy. With its cool, limpid texture, it leaves a lasting impression of balance and restraint. Great paired with garlic-roasted chicken. Note- Dalla Vina makes wine with Owen Roe and purchases fruit from many of the same sources.
MORE INFORMATION
2004 Tasting Notes
This wine is opaque and richly ruby in color. The wine is visibly viscous when swirled in the glass. Hints of sweet toasty oak mingle with rose and sweet black cherry in the nose. Flavors are of balanced fruit, spice, and meaty tannins. Black cherry and cassis dominate the flavors, with an intense spicy hit of licorice, tar, smoke, and cedar in the finish.
A wine with good tannic structure, this is not a simple fruit bomb, but a wine with plenty of backbone to hold together for aging 2-3 years, and restrained sweet flavors that suit it to having with food such as cassoulet, game meats, or a burger with roasted garlic. An interesting food wine, when most Washington State Syrahs are all about the sweet black cherry flavors.
This wine was made from fruit sourced from Slide MOuntain Vineyard, on the west side of the Yakima Valley. The grapes were harvested in late October, 2004, a relatively late harvest date for Yakima, as the vineyard is at a high elevation, and is a cooler and drier site than many in the area. The winemaker feels that Syrah from cooler sites offers more complexity of flavors, making a more elegant style Syrah.
