2013 Avennia Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard

Reminding me of a top Cornas, the 2013 Arnaut Syrah Boushey Vineyard has lots of bloody, meaty notes as well as ripe dark fruits, wild herbs, and peppery aromas and flavors. Complex, full-bodied, and layered, with terrific purity (which is a hallmark of all of Chris’s wines), it’s another terrific Syrah to enjoy over the coming decade. I continue to consider Chris Peterson’s Avennia estate to be one of the best in Washington State and he’s been making world-class wines for a number of years now. He releases two white wines: A Sauvignon Blanc called Oliane and a Rhone blend of Roussanne and Marsanne called La Perle. The reds are broken up into a Rhône/Bordeaux groups, with the Rhônes including a Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre blend called Justine, and two single-vineyard Syrahs, the Le Corbeau from Mays’ Discovery Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills and the Arnaut from Dick Boushey’s Boushey Vineyard on the western side of the Yakima Valley. The Bordeaux releases are built around the appellation blends and include the entry-level Gravura, Valery (Merlot dominated), and Sestina (Cabernet Sauvignon dominated). In addition, Peterson also makes a pure Cabernet Franc from Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills and a pure Cabernet Sauvignon from very old vines in the Red Willow Vineyard. As I hope these reviews show, these are brilliant wines readers need to seek out.

The 2013 Syrah Boushey Vineyard Arnaut is 100% Syrah that comes all from Dick Boushey’s vineyard and vines were planted in 1994 and 1996. Offering a la Mouline-like floral characteristics in its black raspberry, violets and meaty profile, this fabulous 2013 has medium to full-bodied richness, beautifully ripe, polished tannin and a killer finish. Aged 16 months in a scant 15% new French oak, give bottles 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy them through 2028.

(15% alcohol; from the two oldest blocks of Syrah at Boushey, planted in 1994 and 1996; 15% new oak; 15% whole cluster): Deep ruby. Brooding aromas of black fruits, licorice pastille, violet, bitter chocolate and crushed stone, plus a suggestion of bread dough. Juicy and tight on the palate, boasting terrific inner-mouth lift and grip to its blackberry and violet flavors. Finishes firmly tannic and quite backward. This will need time in the cellar to express itself.