McCrea Cellars Syrah Ciel du Cheval Vineyard 05 375 ml

From famed Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, cropped to 2-5 tons per acre, this is a lush, complex example of NW Syrah at its best.

From the winery:

2004 was a year of many challenges. It began with a devastating freeze in January that permanently damaged many Washington vineyards, particularly in the Walla Walla valley. Fortunately, Rhone varietals are far more winter hardy than anyone would have imagined. Most of our fruit was not affected. The summer was one of the hottest on record, suggesting a very early harvest. But late August cooled and even brought some rain, which slowed sugar development while promoting good acidity and proper physiological maturity. We had a relatively normal harvest from mid-September through late October. The '04 wines are very promising; the fruit characteristics are similar to 2002 and 2003. We anticipate good complexity and intensity, with even better acid and pH ratios than prior vintages.

A pioneer of Rhone varietals in Washington State, winemaker Doug McCrea transforms grapes from the finest Yakima Valley, Red Mountain and Columbia Valley vineyards into wines of extraordinary depth, balance, complexity and finesse. Annual Production: 4000 cases of Syrah, Viognier, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne and Counoise.