2018 Delmas Syrah SJR Vineyard

Coming from the site in the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley, the 2018 Syrah SJR Vineyard sports an almost opaque ruby/plum color as well as a perfumed, incredibly complex bouquet of framboise, wild strawberries, olive tapenade, spring flowers, and spiced game. Finesse-driven, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it has wonderful purity of fruit, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. This is another beautiful, singular wine from this estate that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years or so.

Full dark red. Pungent spicy lift to the aromas of raspberry, boysenberry, smoked meat, grilled herbs, rose petal and red licorice complicated by white pepper and black olive; coffee and mocha notes emerged with extended aeration. Really remarkably aromatic Syrah: supple, savory and concentrated, conveying strong Rocks salinity to its flavors of raspberry, plum, cured meats, spices and flowers. Shows a strong resemblance to the 2017 but that's hardly a surprise as Steve Robertson's wine comes entirely from the parcels of Syrah that he originally planted in 2007. Enticing sweetness and broad, ripe tannins give this seamless wine early accessibility but it has the energy and stuffing for mid-term aging. Really spreads out to saturate the palate on the long finish. This quintessential Rocks Syrah was even silkier with extended aeration. Incidentally, Robertson will make his first varietal Grenache from the 2020 harvest, from a one-acre parcel that he also planted in 2007 (i.e., its 14th leaf).