2003 Syrah

Wine Notes

by Barnard Griffin

Vintage Notes

Again, a perfect vintage for Washington State Syrah. We achieved great ripeness with a massive fruit component. The aromas of our 2003 are intense and very ripe with hints of toasted French oak. Rich scents of dark fruits, blackberries and violets are dominant. The flavors are big, rich and almost sweet on the palate following through with the dark fruit theme. The wine is soft in its tannins but balanced with good acidity.

Vineyards

The 2003 growing season was another hot one with deep ripening fruit that gave us wines of great texture and depth. This Syrah has great weight and is showing good structure. Both sugars and acids were balanced and optimal throughout our contracted Syrah vineyards. I believe that Syrah achieves best results in our climate if allowed to begin its characteristic dehydration. I remain dedicated to blending different vineyard sources to achieve balanced, full flavored wines. Here are my sources for 2003 Syrah:

Desert Air Vineyard Columbia Valley/Wahluke Slope
Gunkle Vineyards Columbia Valley/Columbia Gorge