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Review: Vin du Lac 2009 Red Café Syrah Columbia Valley

The theme? Decant this wine please.

Vin du Lac Red Cafe Syrah 2009 Columbia Valley.

My regular readers know that I am a Syrah fan. Washington Syrah is one of my favorite, go to, must try, varietals.  It can be oh, so good. There are many styles of Syrah produced in Washington and that is part of the fun. Discovering the style of a winemaker and gaining an appreciation for their talent in making wine, is also one of the wine blogging perks I enjoy.

It has been my pleasure this month to sample and review several different wines made by Larry Lehmbecker and his team at Vin du Lac winery of Lake Chelan, Washington. My review today is of the Vin du Lac 2009 Red Café Syrah, Columbia Valley.

Color: Inky dark, violet tinged rim.
Nose: Plum, spice, pencil shavings, boysenberry syrup, bacon, dark chocolate with, yes, grape Bubble Yum, and plum.
Palate:  Spice, smooth, more acid than tannins, a little heat on the gums. After some air, the heat dissipated, tannins became a better match for the acidity. With a medium-short finish, when this wine is first opened, it is a lighter style of Syrah, a wine to enjoy with meals.

Note: I liked this wine, in particular, I enjoyed this wine more an hour later, when it developed a long finish which enveloped my senses with lavender, carnation, dark fruit and cocoa. Recommended!

Release Info:
100% Syrah: 27% Upland Vineyard, 27% Sagemoor Vineyard, 23% Weinbau Vineyard, 14% Fallon Vineyard, 9% Vin du Lac/Michaela's Vinyard.
ABV 14.5%
Production: 478 cases
Bottled: June 2011
Released: January 2012
Closure: Synthetic cork
Sample provided by the winery
Retail price: $19.99

Vin du Lac says that their Red Café wines are Bistro wines. They are true barrel-aged, exceptionally well-balanced wines for the table.

Vin du Lac Tasting Room Hours: Thursday – Sunday, Noon – 5 pm.
www.vindulac.com

Vin du Lac can ship wine to the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington. Montana residents are required to provide a Connoisseur's license prior to ordering wine. Contact the winery at 866-455-9463 ext 130 for more information on shipping.

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Cheers!

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