Owen Roe Sinister Hand 08
Owen Roe Sinister Hand 08 - Owen Roe's Sinister Hand is an exhuberant, lush, lively, juicy blend of Rhone varietals. It is traditionally a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre from several Yakima area vineyards.
"Our primary source for this wine is Dr. Steve Elerding’s vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills, where the proximity of the Columbia River is a vital part of the success of these traditional Rhone varietals. This wine is very dark with fruit flavors, pepper and an excellent texture. The blend is 62% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre." - the winery
Previous Vintage Tasting Notes
2007 Vintage Tasting Notes
Owen Roe's Sinister Hand 2007 is rich and full-bodied. Dark purple in color, with a nose of sweet spice box and white pepper, the wine coats the palate with fresh fruit - sweet red and black cherries, black currant, and blackberries. Smooth and integrated tannins in the finish contain abundant dried cherry, white pepper, cassis, and just a hint of brine and minerals.
The Sinister Hand 2007 combines its usual intense, fleshy, generous qualities with the fresh fruit flavors and balance of the vintage. For 2007, the blend is 62% Grenache, 21% Syrah,and 16% Mourvedre from several Yakima, Washington area vineyards.
Highly recommended - ready to drink, crowd pleasing, generously plump and fleshy yet appropriate to pair with foods such as grilled meat, sausage, and cassoulet.
MORE INFORMATION
2006 Vintage Tasting Notes
Owen Roe's Sinister Hand 06 is an exhuberant, lush, lively, juicy blend of Rhone varietals. This dark ruby colored, opaque wine's flavors of sweet blackberry, cherry, and dried cherries are heady, fleshy, and fruity -- characteristic of the Grenache in the blend. Hints of sweet cinnamon and richness. One of the things we like most about the Sinister Hand's style every year is the way the wine expands in the mouth, offering additional lively sweet fruit and spice in a long finish.
The Sinister Hand label shows the severed hand of Owen Roe O'Neil- the Irish patriot whose severed hand appears on the coat of arms of winemaker David O'Reilly's family.
2005 Vintage Tasting Notes
Every year, this wine is an exhuberant, lush, lively, juicy blend of Rhone varietals. This year it's 52% Grenache, 39% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre, and 2% Counoise, all from Elerding Vineyard in Washington.
The nose is appealingly bright and fresh, and the flavors are classic Rhone, with great lively, uplifting notes of red fruit. Flavors are of bright, red and black fruits, with lots of white pepper, good acidity and tannins and nothing out of place. Very well made and balanced. There's lots of "back of the mouth" feel in the finish. -jy
2004 Vintage Tasting Notes
Very limited this vintage. An exhuberant, lush, lively, juicy blend of Rhone varietals. Lots and lots of different black fruit and spice flavors with a rich texture and almost liquor-like richness. Blend is 36% grenache, 32% syrah, 22% mourvedre, and 10% counoise. All grapes from the Elerding Vineyard in Alderdale, OR. David says: "All of the fruit is from Steve Elerding's Vineyard in Alderdale in the Mid-Columbia Valley where the Rhone varieties seem to have found a home. The area is just off the Columbia River and so both the summer heat and winter cold are moderated resulting in a long growing season that highlight the edgy personalities of each of the Rhone varietals. This Rhone-styled wine is very dark with enormous fruit flavors and pepper with excellent texture - it will work well with a variety of foods especially spicy fare and dark meats."
"The label is a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among the O'Neills and O'Reillys (Owen Roe was an O'Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king."
"This year's version has more Grenache and is more fragrant and polished than the previous vintages. It will stand proud against all comers from Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Violet perfume and dark fruits meld nicely with peppery Syrah. A keeper for ten years plus!"
