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8 Outstanding Northwest Syrahs

By Andy Perdue on July 28, 2013

Telaya Wine Co. 2010 Syrah, Columbia Valley, $26

Telaya is a small winery in the suburbs of Boise, Idaho, that uses grapes from Washington’s Columbia Valley. The 2009 version of this wine won a gold medal this spring at the inaugural Great Northwest Wine Competition, and the 2010 follows through with the same quality. The grapes come from West Hills and Gamache vineyards, and the wine opens wtih aromas of oak, blackberry, saffron threads, ripe dark berries and smoke. On the palate, it unveils flavors of blueberry, Marionberry, bacon and smoke. It’s a big, rich wine that is backed with superb acidity and ample tannin. The structure gives way to a lengthy finish and should help this pair well with grilled or braised meats or hearty Italian dishes.

Rating: Outstanding!

Production: 150 cases

Alcohol: 13.9%

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About Andy Perdue

Andy Perdue is founding partner of Great Northwest Wine LLC and a longtime wine columnist. He is a third-generation journalist who has worked at newspapers since the mid-1980s and has been writing about wine since 1998. He co-founded Wine Press Northwest magazine with Eric Degerman and served as its editor-in-chief for 15 years. He is the author of "The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer's Handbook" (Sasquatch, 2003) and has contributed to four other books.