Cayuse Cailloux Syrah 2020

Cayuse Cailloux is a Syrah from the Walla Walla Valley, drawn from Christophe Baron's first vineyard there, a four-hectare plot whose name points to the round riverbed stones that cover it. Baron came to Washington with experience from Champagne and Burgundy and built Cayuse around this cobblestone ground, where the stones drain freely and radiate stored heat back into the canopy overnight, pushing the Syrah to full ripeness while the cool nights hold its acidity. The vineyard is farmed biodynamically and the wine is aged in wood, a regime that settles the tannins and adds a light savoury frame through slow oxygen exchange while keeping the cobblestone character in front. The 2020 is deep purple. The nose opens with white wildflowers, ripe blackberry and a citrus-peel lift, moving into black pepper, smoke and leather. The palate is full and concentrated, the tannins ripe and fine-grained, the finish long, mineral and peppery. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted an hour ahead, with grilled red meat, lamb or earthy mushroom dishes.