Cailloux Vineyard Syrah

Produced: 1999 - present

Professional reviews and tasting notes from prior vintages added as published (scores within parentheses indicate barrel samples):

2021

96 Points. What an aromatic nose of violets, peppercorns, olives, green plums, wet earth and ash. Touch of peaches on the palate, which is sleek, with focused tannins and long, powerful and peppery layers. Medium- to full-bodied and continuous. Syrah co-fermented with about 5% viognier. The syrah is around 70% whole-cluster fermented. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

2020

97 Points. The 2020 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah is a combination of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier that is co-fermented and then aged in 15-20% new French oak barrels for approximately 18 months. I love the lift that the small addition of Viognier adds to this wine - think white wildflowers on top of the meaty essence that only wine from this area can have. Dark purple cored with a bluish rim, it boasts lovely notes of boysenberry, dried pink grapefruit zest, black-peppered charcuterie, and crushed olives. Wonderfully lush and robust, it finishes with that stony minerality and saline aspect that I adore from the wines of Cayuse. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

96 Points. The ebullient 2020 ‘Cailloux Vineyard’ is the only Syrah that has a small portion (5%) of Viognier co-fermented. Densely colored in the glass, this reveals high tones of honeysuckle and pink grapefruit blossom that only the Viognier can deliver, alongside peppered bacon and salted coppa. The palate is very fresh and concentrated, with wonderful wet stone character and underlying finesse alongside the salty accents. Finishing long with bright guava, Mandarin orange zest and wet grave, this is be a knockout wine that is already beautifully evolved now at the three-year mark. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com

95 Points. The only Syrah from this great estate that's co-fermented with Viognier, the 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard reveals a translucent ruby hue as well as classic Rocks (or as Christophe likes to call the region, the Stones) aromatics of red and black cherries, sous bois, smoked earth, rose petals, and ground pepper. It's another more medium to full-bodied, very pretty, graceful, balanced release from this team offering fine tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. As with many 2020s here, it doesn't have the density of the great vintages but shines for its beautiful balance and purity. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

95 Points. Such expressive and earnest syrah character, with swathes of peppery aromas here. White pepper, rosemary stems, salted olives, wild raspberries, licorice, smoked meat and grilled herbs on the nose, with a hint of peach. Focused and tight on the palate, with medium body and very tight tannins. Mineral and peppery. 96% syrah and 4% viognier, co-fermented. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points. The 2020 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is born of the earth, dusty and savory, with a burst of crushed rock and gravel giving way to air-dried meat and smoky olive tones. This is surprisingly energetic and spry, with a salty flourish and ripe red and black fruits. The zesty acidity provides an unbelievably juicy sensation. It finishes fresh and lightly structured with building tension, ending with licorice and spiced blood orange notes. The 2020 is already so enjoyable that it's hard to advise waiting, but I expect the best is yet to come... —Eric Guido, Vinous

2019

98 Points. Co-fermented with 4% Viognier, the 2019 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a classic expression of Walla Walla Syrah and delightfully emulates in a Côte-Rôtie style. Aromas of soft red and white flower petals lift from the glass with a purity of fruit as delightful orange zest and potpourri essences sway on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is picturesque with a sincere and vivid profile, immaculate structure and impeccable balance. It offers flavors of hung sausage and rose petals with notions of red and black spice tones before concluding with a long, lingering finish that begs me back for more. This is absolutely stellar juice! Bravo! —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

98 Points. Leading off the Syrahs and showing gorgeously, the 2019 Cailloux offers a seamless, layered, multi-dimensional style in its sweet black raspberry, currant, leafy herb, charcoal, spring flower, and violet-laced aromas and flavors. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has flawless balance, ultra-fine tannins, a thrilling core of sweet fruit, and one hell of an impressive finish. Rocks Syrah doesn't get much better. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points. The 2019 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah from Cayuse is outstanding. It begins with striking aromatics of black raspberries and red currants, followed by spices, pepper, fresh florals, bacon and wet stones all taking shape. On the palate this is medium/full bodied, beautifully balanced and focused, with a gorgeous texture and a wonderful mineral laced core, which expands seamlessly into the long lingering finish. This is a sensational bottle of Syrah that is already quite expressive, but should also continue to evolve beautifully in the cellar. Composed of 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier. —Eric Guido, Vinous

97 Points. [This] Syrah is outstanding. It begins with striking aromatics of black raspberries and red currants, followed by spices, pepper, fresh florals, bacon and wet stones all taking shape. On the palate this is medium/full bodied, beautifully balanced and focused... This is a sensational bottle of Syrah that is already quite expressive, but should also continue to evolve beautifully in the cellar. —Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

97 Points. Dynamic and well-sculpted, this Syrah is Washington at its best, offering rich, fragrant flavors of river stone, blueberry, fresh violet and bacon fat that build tension on the long, savory finish. Drink now through 2035. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

97 Points. An expressive nose of cracked black pepper, black cherry and an array of dried herbs. Medium-to full-bodied with incredible spicy character. So much going on here. Silky, fruit-soaked tannins. The supple dark fruit is accented by peppercorn, dried ginger, bay leaf, basil and oolong. Umami. Superb. Co-fermented with 4% viognier. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

96 Points. The stunning, finesse-driven, very stony 2019 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah has 5% Viognier co-fermented. Immediately you notice the high tones from the Viognier, with orange blossom and citrus rind tones that combine with soy sauce, black olive tapenade and pretty white pepper dusted red fruits... Slightly less weighted and more linear than the 2018, this has vibrant tension that will make this beautiful Syrah shine on for at least another decade. Drink 2022-2032. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com

2018

97 Points. The 2018 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is the only Cayuse Syrah that is co-fermented with Viognier (5%). The beautiful honeysuckle aromas from the Viognier mingle with ripe red currants, hoisin sauce, umami and black olive tapenade with smoked brisket undertones. The palate is sinfully good and seamless in texture. Dense dark fruits collide with shades of black truffle, white flowers, umami and bacon fat. Bright and full of verve, with outstanding length and texture, this has a long way to go in the cellar. —Owen Bargreen, Vinous

97 Points. Blended with a good chunk of Viognier (from the same vineyard and co-fermented), the 2018 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard offers a sweet nose of red and blue fruits, lavender, spring flowers, and bacon fat, with subtle classic Rocks notes of mulch and charcoal emerging with time in the glass. Incredibly complex, medium to full-bodied, and seamless, it reminds me of an old-school Côte Rôtie with its exotic, floral, yet meaty style. This cuvée is always one of the more up-front Syrahs in the lineup, yet it ages just as well as the others, possessing a solid 20- to 25-year drink window. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

96 Points. This has a fantastic range of savory aromas with smoked meat, herbs, grilled aubergine, bark, dried flowers, shells and blue and black fruit. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Intensely flavorful with earthy, peppery character. Very long. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling

96 Points. A real knockout Syrah, structured and refined yet bubbling over with personality, offering expressive raspberry, garrigue, warm pebble and smoky beef tones that build tension and polish toward fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2032. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

95 Points. Co-fermented with 6% Viognier, the 2018 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard begins with dusty and smokey expressions of cured meats, black pepper and blackberry compote. Medium to full-bodied, the wine displays a ripe yet firm character with impeccable mineral tension, elements of smoked lavender and roasted herbs before dusty plum and black cherry skin sway with an umami essence and succulent, fine-grained tannins. Concluding with a long-lingering, evolving finish, the Syrah will have no problem aging past its 15th birthday... Bravo, it's delicious. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

94 Points. Coming from the first vineyard planted in this area of the valley in 1997 and cofermented with Viognier, the aromas are expressive, with notes of raspberry, orange peel, soot, grilled meat and stem, showing more overt fruit out of the gate than this wine and area often does. The palate is broad in feel, with plentiful pyrazine notes on the finish. It needs time to fully show itself, but the rewards will be plentiful. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

2017

97 Points. …Ruby/purple-hued, with a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, smoked game, black pepper, and spring flowers, it has plenty of classic Rocks funkiness and meaty notes, medium to full body, a core of sweet fruit, and a great, great finish. It ranks with the top two to three wines in this vintage… —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points. Lots of blackberry, tar and blueberry aromas with hints of dried earth. Full bodied, tight and focused with intensity and savoriness in the center palate. Plush and attractive at the end, but not overpowering. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

96 Points. The 2017 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard begins generous and inky in the glass, with black fruit at its core and floral aromas of violets and lavender followed by a soft smokiness with layers of olive tapenade and dust-covered black raspberry. Full-bodied, the Cailloux Syrah is intensely complex and reveals layers of crunchy minerality and silky tannins that frame the elegant notions of cherry blossom in the mouth. Ending with a long-lingering and sophisticated finish, the wine continues to reveal its subtleties, expressing umami and savory characteristics. Proving to be yet another stellar bottling from the Cayuse team, the wine dares me to keep my hands off the glass. I can’t… —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

94 Points. Structured and impeccably layered, with rich and expressive blueberry and raspberry flavors, laced with licorice, bacon fat and crushed stone notes that pick-up speed toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2030. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

2016

98 Points. The 2016 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard checks in as 96% Syrah and 4% Viognier that was fermented with roughly 70-80% stems and brought up in 15% new demi-muids and foudre. This beauty has incredible elegance and purity as well as full-bodied richness, complex notes of blackberry, cherries, stone hearth, decayed flowers, and salted meats, and a savory style that’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or more. —Jeb Dunnuck, jebdunnuck.com

97 Points. The 2016 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is co-fermented with 4% Viognier in a Côte-Rôtie style that delivers a red and black-fruited nose with a floral grip and rustic rockiness. It is medium to full-bodied on the palate, with a soft smokiness and olive notes, resulting in an exquisite and structured wine with a focus on terroir. It is thoughtfully balanced on the long-lingering finish with a tannic edge and lifting acidity. This is really well-made wine. —Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Aromas of peeled orange, fresh flower, ground black pepper, bacon fat, potpourri, funk, truffle, sea salt, soot and crushed rock are at the fore. The flavors are intensely rich—grabbing you and shaking you around—while still retaining a compelling sense of elegance that ups the interest. An extended, flower-filled finish follows. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

95 Points. … Alluring savory perfume of raspberry, smoke, pork rind, African violet and red licorice. Wonderfully fine-grained, pretty wine with terrific energy and inner-mouth lift… The flavors of red fruits and spices are perked up by a suggestion of apricot pit that I often find in Côte-Rôties made with a bit of Viognier. This beautifully filled-in midweight boasts stunning aromatic complexity… —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

94 Points. This syrah is co-fermented with some viognier (the only Cayuse wine to do this) and it has an ethereal edge of yellow plums, white pepper, bacon fat and flowers, all in the mix. A lot of whole-cluster influence here (60-70%). The palate has such deep-set fresh fruit and an attractive, long and juicy feel that carries a silky, long finish. Effortlessly exotic. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

2015

(95-97) Points. The only wine to be cofermented with Viognier, the 2015 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is a perfumed, floral and honeysuckle-scented beauty that gives up more bacon fat, soot and dark fruits with time in the glass. It’s one of the most seamless and silky in the lineup, and I suspect it will be the most approachable on release as well. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

2014

100 Points. Incorporating a touch more Viognier than normal, the 2014 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier from the first vineyard planted in the stones region of Walla Walla. Sporting a surprisingly deep, inky color, it offers a heavenly bouquet of black olives, tobacco leaf, smoked meats, pepper, blackcurrant and black cherry notes. Deep, rich and ever changing in the glass, with incredible complexity and layers, this full-bodied masterpiece has building tannin, a stacked mid-palate and a great, great finish. It's pure perfection in Syrah, and the finest vintage of this cuvee ever made. As a bonus, it’s also the largest production Syrah they produce. Bravo! —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Impressively well-built and expressive, with evocative raspberry and smoky bacon aromas and sleek, dynamic black cherry, crushed rock and green olive flavors that build momentum toward refined tannins. —Tim Fish, Wine Spectator

94 Points. Pepper, fresh-turned earth and wet stones here. A wealth of sappy, graphite-infused plums and black cherries. Very complex and soulful. The palate delivers power with detail and finesse in a savory mode. The flavors of ripe cherries hold long and pure amid finely groomed, lacy tannins. Drink or hold. —James Suckling, jamessuckling.com

94 Points. The aromas of this wine leap from the glass, with notes of orange peel, potpourri, smoked meat, spice, fresh herb, stem, ash and plum. It's expressive, but still wound up. The flavors are focused, concentrated and savory, bringing a sense of intensity and richness but also lightness. The balance is exquisite. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

2013

#5 in the 10.2016 Seattle Met ‘Top 100 Washington Wines’ (—Sean Sullivan)

#37 – Top 100 Wines of 2016, Wine Spectator

96 Points. Broad and expressive, playing the cherry, raspberry and pear notes against fine tannins. Picks up tobacco, tar and mineral notes as the finish sails on. Has terrific presence without weight. Drink now through 2025. 846 cases made. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

95 Points. (15% new oak; this was the first vineyard planted in what is now known as the Rocks District, back in 1997): Good medium-deep red. Compellingly complex, high-toned aromas of raspberry, brown spices, olive tapenade, smoked sausage, lilac and black licorice are lifted by a floral topnote. Wonderfully concentrated, saline wine with terrific spicy energy and delineation to its very pure raspberry and smoke flavors. Still tightly coiled but the outstanding purity and intensity of fruit here is clear. Finishes with great length and spicy lift. —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

94 Points. From the oldest vineyard in the Stones (Christophe calls it The Stones, not The Rocks), the transparent ruby colored 2013 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard incorporates 5% co-fermented Viognier and has a distinct saltiness, as well as classic Cayuse notes of peat moss, mushrooms, iodine, and sweet cherry and currant fruit. While gamey and a touch backwards right on opening, it blossomed with time in the glass and can be enjoyed today with a decant, or cellared for a decade or more. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

2012

97 Points. The only Syrah to be co-fermented with a small amount of Viognier (5%)... The high-toned white grapefruit blossom aromatics from the Viognier artfully combine with shades of anise, salted pork pate and green peppercorns that all take shape in the glass. The palate is fresh, vibrant and downright seamless. Layers of huckleberry compote collide with minerals, smoked lamb, bulls blood, green olives and wet stone on the palate, with underlying orange blossoms rounding out this insanely good flavor range. Long and generous, with great elegance and finesse... a stunning wine that still has long life ahead of it. —Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com

96+ Points. The only Syrah to be cofermented with Viognier, the 2012 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard (which sees mostly second-fill barrels) is one of the more serious, age-worthy examples of this cuvee I've tasted. Offering up lots of black raspberry, orange blossom, peach pit (these are no doubt due to the Viognier) and violet notes to go with almost searing minerality, this fabulous Syrah hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a layered, concentrated, tannic mouth feel and a great finish. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade or so. —Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Firm, focused, supple and expansive, but not heavy, splaying out the currant, plum and chalky flavors on a silky frame, lingering easily on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2025. 755 cases made. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

95 Points. Full medium red with ruby tones. Musky, multidimensional nose hits most of Syrah's key food groups: redcurrant, smoky bacon fat, steak tartare, flint, lilac and black pepper. Hugely rich and full on the palate without communicating any impression of weightiness. An element of white flowers carries through on the palate to lift the fruit, mineral and smoked meat flavors. Like liquid velvet in the mouth, this outstanding Syrah finishes with big, broad, noble tannins and great length. —Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

94 Points. Light in color, this über aromatic wine conveys flowers, black and green olive, mineral, peat and smoke. The palate is all about elegance of expression and texture, with smoked meat and coffee flavors that linger. —Sean Sullivan, Wine Enthusiast

2011

97 Points. The 2011 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is the only Syrah to incorporate a splash of cofermented Viognier, which in some vintages, can be as much as 10% of the blend. Including 5% in 2011, it has a fabulous perfume of crunchy black fruit, crushed rocks, smoked earth and layers of violets and crushed flowers. Straight-up awesome on the palate, with full-bodied richness and a seamless texture, it opens up in the glass, has superb concentration and blockbuster length. Give it another 2-3 years and enjoy bottles through 2026, although it will certainly evolve longer as well. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

2010

96 Points. The only one of Christophe’s Syrahs to be co-fermented with Viognier, the 2010 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard (90% Syrah, 10% Viognier) shows the least amount of Cayuse funk and has classic northern Rhone-like aromas and flavors of black raspberry, black pepper, edgy minerality, spring flowers and hints of bacon fat. Gaining additional complexity and nuances with air, it is silky and polished on the palate, with full-bodied richness, a seamless, elegant texture and remarkable persistence and length on the finish. One of those wines that delivers incredible amounts of fruit and texture without ever seeming heavy, it is a brilliant wine that will benefit from a handful of years in the cellar and shine for 10-15 years. Drink now-2025. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Dark and smoky, with bright blackberry and plum lighting up the core, balanced by black olive and stone overtones. This red matches intensity with sleek balance. Drink now through 2020. 730 cases made. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2009

96 Points. Polished, effortless and juicy, with blackberry, currant, black olive and tar flavors, beautifully balanced to rotate all its facets as the finish keeps spinning. Harmonious and expressive. Drink now through 2019. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

95 Points. The latest installment of Cayuse’s largest-production, their 2009 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard – vinified largely in foudre and aged in previously used demi-muids – features lightly-stewed cherry and purple plum laced with cinnamon stick and clove; garlanded in violet and acacia that point to the inclusion of Viognier; and underlain by salivary gland-engaging roasted but still bloody red, organ-like meaty savor. (And speaking of organs, there is a reverberative pedal-point of low-toned flavors here that engenders an awesome sense of depth.) Sappy and intensely-concentrated yet possessed of an admirable, almost uncanny sense of buoyancy; ultra-dense yet remarkably fine-grained, this adds black pepper and tar from the classic Syrah playbook to its long litany of flavors and lusciously long and vibrant finish. It’s easy to see how this would please a wine grower who reveres Noel Verset. I can’t imagine it commencing to signal a need to be drunk-up for at least another dozen years, and probably not until significantly later. –David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Always a standout, this is the only one of the Cayuse Syrahs that is cofermented with Viognier. This explodes with flavors of blueberries, soy, earth, black tea, iodine, anise and salt, plus a hint of sassafras. Notes of herb and cured meat add further interest to this unique, captivating effort. –Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast

94 Points. Good dark red. Aromas of raspberry, mocha, black olive and leather, plus a suggestion of apricot (from the 7% viognier component, no doubt). Rich in the mouth and impressively bright for the vintage, with complex fruit and mineral flavors framed and lifted by pepper, floral and spice elements. Very complex, dry and long syrah with superb fruit and grip. Christophe Baron told me that he did no leaf-pulling for syrah and then carried out a very gentle extraction: "like steeping tea." –Steven Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

2008

Rated Number 1 by Seattle Metropolitan magazine (September 2011), Washington's 100 Best Wines. In the late 1990's Christophe Baron set about making a series of highly rated syrahs that would transform the Washington wine industry. Today he is still a syrah maker in a class by himself. Case in point: this intensely aromatic wine with floral and savory notes, minerality, light funk, saline, and black olive juice. 97 Points. –Sean Sullivan, Seattle Metropolitan Magazine

97 Points. A vintage that saw rain in late September, the 2008 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is a co-fermented blend of 90+% Syrah and the balance Viognier, that wasn’t harvested until October 10. Hitting 14.1% natural alcohol, it’s drinking beautifully today and offers a meaty, iodine, peppery and plum-pit bouquet to go with a full-bodied, refined and elegant feel on the palate. It shows more and more floral and rose petal qualities with time in the glass, has plenty of mid-palate depth and will have no issues evolving for another decade. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

97 Points. The 2008 Cailloux Vineyard Syrah contains 4% Viognier. Expressive game, bacon, and blueberry aromas are given uplift by the Viognier component. This savory, rich, lengthy Syrah can be enjoyed now and over the next 10-12 years. –Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

97 Points. Rated Number 16 in Wine Enthusiast magazine, Top 100 wines of 2011. This is the only Cayuse Syrah that is co-fermented (with 8% Viognier), which adds nuances of white flower and floral, though the citrus rind scents override them. In the nose it’s hugely expressive, though still quite tight and compact in the mouth; it must be decanted. It's a three ring circus of a wine, with things moving and shaking in all directions. Mineral, berry, mountain complexity, nuanced herb and earth and citrus, all in proportion, and all flowing in the mouth. –Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast

95 Points. Polished, refined in structure and exuberant in flavor, bursting with cherry, smoke, paprika and tar character, finishing with a mineral edge. This has a steely balance behind the open texture, and the finish just rolls and rolls. Drink now through 2020. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

94 Points. Dark, bright red-ruby. Musky, smoky aromas of blackberry, black cherry, brown spices and licorice. High-pitched and taut on the palate, with lovely verve and focus to the dark berry and violet flavors. This gripping young syrah is most impressive today on the very long finish, which features noble tannins and outstanding cling. –Steven Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

2007

98 Points. The 2007 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard might be the greatest vintage from this vineyard to date, although I think the ’06 and '10 will be longer-lived. Seeing 4-6% Viognier and around 50-60% stems during fermentation, it’s a blockbuster effort that exudes notions of iron, dried blood, pepper, Asian spice and sweet red and black fruits. Full-bodied, supple and sexy on the palate, it has extraordinary purity, a layered, full mid-palate and beautiful depth and tannic structure that comes through on the finish. It’s far from unapproachable today, and I’d happily drink it anytime over the coming decade or more. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

97 Points. The saturated purple 2007 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard contains 4% Viognier in the blend. It displays a Cote-Rotie-like nose of smoked meat, olives, herbs, game, and bacon. Layered, plush, and super-rich, this full-bodied, pleasure-bent effort has exceptional length. Difficult to resist now, it can be enjoyed over the next 10-12 years.
–Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Baron’s 2007 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is unusual for its combination of Cote Rotie-like bacon, smoky black tea, and floral aromatic overtones with rich chocolate and licorice, all of these mingling with sappy confitured dark berries. This is amazingly supple and silken-textured, not because the tannins were baked-out of the fruit on the vine, but instead simply because they’re so fine. After setting you up for a continuation of its incredible richness all the way to a long finish, it introduces tar, black pepper, and an almost horseradish- and mustard green-like bite for an effect of spine- not just tongue-tingling invigoration. At the same time, the mouthwateringly carnal aspects of this multifarious performance are never far below the surface. (While I realize it isn’t “supposed” to show up its Bionic Frog counterpart, when tasted alongside one recognizes that this must be having an exceedingly good day. I suspect this Cailloux will remain well worth revisiting for the better part of a decade.) –David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Strong notes of tar, hot stone and licorice weave through the rich, dark plum, mulberry and currant aromas and flavors. A complex, beautifully knit wine that lets its flavors sail through a long, compelling finish. Best from 2012 through 2020.
–Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2006

98 Points. The deepest colored of the lineup, as well as the most powerful and concentrated, the 2006 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is Hermitage-like with its dark, meaty core of fruit, iodine, chocolate and mineral-laced aromas and flavors. Not harvested until mid-October and aged in 15% new French oak barrels, this full-bodied, decadent and concentrated Syrah has another handful of years before hitting full-maturity, and will have 25+ years of ultimate longevity. It’s a tour de force in Syrah from Washington State! –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

98 Points. The first of the Syrahs is the saturated purple 2006 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard (with 4% Viognier in the blend). It displays a Cote-Rotie-like nose of smoked meat, game, and bacon with a dollop of burnt sugar and blueberry making an appearance. Layered, plush, and super-rich, this full-bodied, pleasure-bent effort has exceptional length. Difficult to resist now, it can be enjoyed over the next 10-12 years. –Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

95 Points. Plush and polished, this brims with cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors that are nicely shaded with streaks of mineral and green olive. Supple, harmonious and expressive as the finish keeps sailing on and on. Best from 2011 through 2018. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2005

98 Points. Similar to the ’06, the 2005 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was the first wine to be made at the new wine making studio located near the estate vineyards (prior vintages were made at Pepper Bridge). It’s a big, rich, powerful Syrah that offers lots of dark fruits, currants, chocolate and crushed rock-like minerality to go with a full-bodied, deep, chewy and structured profile on the palate. It too will have 20-25 years of ultimate longevity. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

97 Points. The normal cuvee of 2005 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard has an alluring perfume of spice box, meat, game, and blueberry compote. Opulent yet elegant, this hedonistic effort will benefit from 4-6 years of cellaring and provide pleasure through 2020. –Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

93 Points. Distinctly spicy, with a panoply of dusky, sweet and savory spices that wrap around a tight core of blackberry fruit, veering toward black tea on the finish. It all hangs on a lithe, supple structure that's more elegant than most Syrahs. Best from 2010 through 2015. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2004

93 Points. Coming from a vintage that featured a massive freeze that pretty much decimated any unburied vines, the 2004 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is the first to really show that Cayuse funk, with lots of iodine, peat, dried herbs, chocolate and exotic spice all emerging from the glass. Uber-ripe, it’s fully mature, yet still has loads of depth, big fruit and solid length through the finish. I think it’s a fair click back from the new releases, yet it still has plenty of to love and it still improves in the glass. While I found it fully mature and think it’s best drunk up, Christophe commented that it’s tasted like this for years, so you never know. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

93 Points. Syrah is the principal raison d'etre at Cayuse Vineyards. In a typical vintage five are produced beginning with the 2004 Syrah "Cailloux Vineyard," a cuvee co-fermented with 4% Viognier. It delivers a splendid nose of lavender, leather, meat, and blueberry jam. This is followed by a wine with great flavor already exhibiting complexity. It could use a bit more depth but that is a minor matter. This beauty can be enjoyed through 2025. –Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate

92 Points. Supple, open-textured and immensely appealing for the balance of distinctly mineral-accented plum and cherry flavors against subtle touches of coffee, wet earth and oak. Drink now through 2014. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2003

95 Points. Incredible fruit intensity. Cranberry, pomegranate and cherry meet rock, gravel and pepper. Lovely focus and purity; it's concentrated and tight, with a minerality that is compelling and distinctive. The best yet from Cailloux. Syrah is co-fermented with 4 or 5% Viognier. It's a world-class effort, still quite young and tight, but built for beautiful aging. –Paul Gregutt, Wine Enthusiast

92 Points. Full, deep red. Musky, raw syrah aromas of pepper, espresso, roasted herbs and crunchy berries. Sweet, rich, creamy and sexy, with a distinctly French texture. Still a bit reduced but already quite expressive, in the style of the vintage. Finishes with very suave tannins and excellent length. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed captivating aromas of raspberry, smoke and underbrush and a silkiness of texture that reminded me of a big Burgundy. –Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

92 Points. Viognier (4%) was co-fermented with Syrah to produce the candied blackberry, leather, and sweat-scented 2003 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard. Medium to full-bodied and broad on the attack, this black fruit-filled wine tightens to reveal a bright, slightly tangy finish. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. –Pierre Rovani, The Wine Advocate

91 Points. Lithe, supple style has a lovely range of spicy plum and cranberry flavors on a silky frame, a seductive wine that hints at stony notes as the finish lingers. Drink now through 2015. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

2002

94 Points. A cool vintage in Washington State, the 2002 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard was harvested on October 10 and saw roughly 25% new French barriques during its élevage. Full-bodied, savory, layered and seamless, it has lots of iodine, olive brine, dried herbs and sweet black raspberry fruit to go with good overall freshness, plenty of texture and great finish. It will continue to drink nicely through 2022.94 Points. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

94 Points. Refined and elegant, with a velvety suppleness and lively intensity, but it's still a concentrated Syrah, packed with raspberry, cherry and green olive flavors, waxing on the finish with hints of coffee and exotic spices, all of it lingering beautifully. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

91+ Points. Full, deep red. Musky, raw syrah aromas of pepper, espresso, roasted herbs and crunchy berries. Sweet, rich, creamy and sexy, with a distinctly French texture. Still a bit reduced but already quite expressive, in the style of the vintage. Finishes with very suave tannins and excellent length. With 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed captivating aromas of raspberry, smoke and underbrush and a silkiness of texture that reminded me of a big Burgundy. –Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

2001

95 Points. The 2001 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard, which was brought in during the third week in September, is a classic representation of this site. Full-bodied, elegant and seamless, with lots of sweet currant and blackberry fruits, scorched earth, spice, cured meats and hints of coffee bean, it’s fully mature and drinking beautifully, but will hold nicely for another 5-6 years, if not longer. –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

2000

92 Points. The first vintage from the vineyard, the fully mature 2000 Syrah Cailloux Vineyard is still drinking beautifully today, with a youthful ruby color, lots of currants, cassis, dried spices, chocolate and peppery aromatics, full-bodied richness, and an elegant, silky, integrated texture. Co-fermented with 4-5% Viognier, with around 40% stems, and aged in one-third new French oak, there’s no need to delay gratification here. It's a classic Syrah from this vineyard that’s drinking at point –Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

1999

93 Points. Bright, exuberant style packs lots of cherry, blackberry and exotic spice character into a lithe frame, letting the flavors play out on a silky finish that lingers seductively. Drink now through 2005. 291 cases made. –Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator

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