Superb Washington Syrahs

Mike Sauer, owner of Red Willow Vineyard, worked with winemaker David Lake for decades and planted the first Washington Syrah in the 1980s. (Photo by Andy Perdue/Great Northwest Wine)

Despite the woes of Syrah from other regions in the wine world – particularly California and Australia – Washington Syrah continues to hum along quite nicely.

Last fall, Washington winemakers crushed more than 15,000 tons of Syrah, the most in state history. That makes Syrah the No. 3 red grape and No. 5 overall.

The first Washington Syrah was planted in the mid-1980s by Mike Sauer of Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. He collaborated with David Lake, longtime winemaker for Columbia Winery.

While a lot of Washington Syrah is finding its way into red blends, there are at least a couple hundred varietal Syrahs being made in Washington. Here are a dozen we’ve tasted in recent weeks.

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