2020 Syrah
This luscious Syrah leads with aromas of wild blueberry, Herbes de Provence, and sweet cream then opens to a fusion of blackberry, rosemary, thyme, and ripe nectarine. The structure is rich and weighty while still well-defined and silky-smooth. The tannins are pure Horse Heaven Hills—intense yet supple as powdered velvet.
- 14.3%
- 5.3 G/L
- 3.86
- December 2021
- January 2023
Growing Season
An early spring accelerated to one of the warmest on record for Washington State, until unpredictable weather events in May and June brought cooler temperatures. Just before veraison, Mother Nature kicked up the heat again—a heatwave that would definitively mark the vintage as one of power and density. While wildfire smoke settled over the Pacific Northwest, higher elevation, deep canyons, and the restless winds of the Horse Heaven Hills funneled the smoke away from our vineyards, ultimately protecting the vintage.
Vineyard Details
In order to capture a balance of ripe fruit and fresh acidity, Trothe fruit was the first picked in most blocks.
- 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier
- SY03
- Phelps
- 40 cases
Block SY03
Planted 2006, 8x3 spacing, 5% southern slope, moderate to warm site, elevation 1000-1034 ft, Warden silt loam soil
Cellaring
The wine is vibrant and drinks well now after a healthy decant of one hour or more. A wine crafted to age, it will continue to evolve and develop over the next 6 years, and beyond.
Vinification
For this inaugural 2020 vintage, the Syrah (3% whole-cluster) co-fermented in concrete vessels with 7% whole-cluster Viognier—contributing to the wine’s intense perfume and deep crimson core. After pressing, the wine was racked back into the same concrete tanks, and aged for 14 months before bottling.
