Canadian winemaker Kendall Mix launched the Syrah component of his Lawrelin brand using from 2000 vintage fruit from Kiona Vineyard on Red Mountain with just 19 cases. He’s building an audience with consumers seeking properly aged wines because he grew his production by four times, using a blend of Syrah from Clifton Hill on the Wahluke Slope and Lonesome Spring Vineyard from the Yakima Valley. The nose is dark and savory with hints of toast, cocoa powder and black licorice with seared ham and black olive. Inside, it’s remarkably big and juicy with black cherry, blackberry and pomegranate, framed by a textured and elegant structure and comes with terrific length. There are little signs of that this is more than a decade old, serving as a remarkable example of Washington Syrah’s ageworthiness.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 72 cases
Alcohol: 14.2%
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