K vintners the hidden syrah 2018 (Charles Smith)

Drink now or cellar for another 15 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. Syrah is Charles Smith’s signature grape since during his very first vintage in 1999 the self-taught winemaker crafted 330 cases from this special variety. Smith first fell in love with wine while touring Europe as a rock band manager. When he returned to settle in the US, it was only natural that he would head to the pristine lands of Washington State to start his own winery. Since then he has been named Winemaker of the Year aby both Food & Wine and aby Wine Enthusiast magazines. This blockbuster Syrah is all about power and depth, with fruit exclusively sourced from the Northyard Vineyard which sits on ancient loamy sand soils at a high elevation. The cooler evenings help to ensure a long ripening season, producing grapes with plenty of aromatics and finesse. All of the fruit is harvested by hand to ensure quality and then fermented using wild yeasts. The young wine is then aged in 50% new French oak barrels for 20 months before bottling. On the nose hints of black cherry and plum mingle with spice, toasted wood, and black pepper. The intensity, full body and firm tannins make this a great red to serve with barbecued meats or other hearty red meat dishes.