2009 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah

Good dark red. Aromas of raspberry, mocha, black olive and leather, plus a suggestion of apricot (from the 7% viognier component, no doubt). Rich in the mouth and impressively bright for the vintage, with complex fruit and mineral flavors framed and lifted by pepper, floral and spice elements. Very complex, dry and long syrah with superb fruit and grip. Christophe Baron told me that he did no leaf-pulling for syrah and then carried out a very gentle extraction: "like steeping tea."

Showing better from bottle than barrel, the elegant and finesse driven 2009 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is heavenly stuff that is every bit as good as the ’08. Possessing brilliant aromas of frambois, crushed flowers, bacon fat, white pepper, and iron on the nose, this full-bodied, seamless ’09 has an incredible, light texture, perfect balance, and a classically structured, firm finish where the wine’s quality shows. Opening up in the glass and a truly spectacular Syrah, this should be given 2-3 years of bottle age, and then consumed over the following 15+ years.