Gramercy Cellars Walla Walla John Lewis Reserve Syrah 07

Parker 96 Points!

Parker - The 2007 John Lewis Syrah was made with no destemming and was a barrel selection (all 500-liter casks) of the best Syrah in the cellar. It was aged in 25% new French oak for 18 months. It offers an ethereal bouquet of slate/mineral, garrigue, olives, smoked meat, sausage, and blueberry. Medium to full-bodied, on the palate, it displays exceptional density, richness, and incipient complexity. Loaded with fruit and impeccably balanced, it will evolve for a decade. How long will it last? Who can say, but I’d like to be around to find out.

Gramercy Cellars was started by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington in 2005. He states, “My goal is to make wines the kind I like to drink, lower alcohol, higher acid, wines that taste like they came from some place.” His last set of releases, reviewed in Issue 177, was first-class but the latest collection is eye-opening.

From the Winery -

Sometimes in life, strange coincidences occur, causing us to ponder the fates that keep the universe moving smoothly. As some of you know, our 'John Lewis' Syrah is named after Pam Harrington's father, who passed away on October 31st, 1999. This wine is a tribute to him and the great things he accomplished in his life. On October 31st, 2009, exactly ten years to the day of John Lewis' passing, we received the following review for this wine. We feel it is in some way his approval of what we are doing with Gramercy.

Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

The 2006 Syrah John Lewis review from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "...offers aromas of smoke, meat, game, and blueberry. Made in a similar lean style, it gains its structure from acidity. The flavors are attractive and wine has solid length. It will have an aging curve similar to that of its cousins.

To summarize, these are wines to tickle the intellect. They are the polar opposite of the wines produced by the likes of Cayuse and K Vintners. I’d love to be a fly on the wall in a conversation between Greg and Christophe Baron. Personally, I think diversity is a good thing. Gramercy Cellars was started by Master Sommelier Greg Harrington in 2005. He states, “My goal is to make wines that I like to drink - lower alcohol, higher acid.” His favorite regions are Cote-Rotie, Piedmont, and Austria. True to his word, Harrington’s 2006 releases appear to reflect his philosophy.