2020 Syrah
The 2020 Syrah was co-fermented with 7% Viognier. Dark fruit aromas burst out of the glass with spicy black and pink peppercorns, juicy plum, spiced cherries, soft meaty tones and subtly sweet herbs that show precision, finesse and power. Medium to full-bodied, the wine unfolds on the palate, offering spicy, fresh dark red fruits with succulent tannins that unwind and glide to a long, lingering and ever-evolving finish. This is a fantastic wine that never saw oak, as it was fermented in concrete and aged without wood. 1,140 bottles produced.
- 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
- 88 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.
