Skip to main content

Wine of the Week - Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2012 Syrah

photo

What's the fuss about Washington state Syrah?

In Washington we talk a lot about our affection for Washington Syrah. For us, it's one of those expressive varieties which can show off tremendous fruit, sublime funkiness, sexy floral aromatics, deep flavors and inky color. No one winemaker does Syrah the same. Washington grown Syrah lends itself to wonderful expression.

This week I'm recommending you seek out the Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2012 Syrah. With so much going on with this wine, you can no longer excuse yourself from avoiding Washington Syrah. Yes, your tongue will be stained purple. Let me know what you think in the comment section below. I am continually impressed by the quality wine produced by Columbia Crest, I think I just talked myself into bringing another bottle home.


Tasting Notes Columbia Crest Grand Estates 2012 Syrah

Color: Purple-violet, vibrant.
Nose: Earthy, fruity, plum, funk, orange peel, bacon fat, rubbed anise, generally warm character, fragrant at open, focused with violets and blueberry.
Palate: Friendly , rich, dry and smooth, earthy mid-palate, boysenberry, tar, coffee syrup, sage, focused to the front, medium finish. Quite good at open.

After 15 minutes: Perfumed aroma, earthy, light coffee, violets, cinnamon, blueberry, white pepper. Milk chocolate, blueberry, tarragon, coffee, dry creaminess, tar, lavender, fine finish mid-palate, very tasty. My speed.

At 30 minutes: Enticing earthy, perfumed nose, moved to savory, my speed. Refined, smooth drinking, boysenberry compote, dry sage, salinity, coffee, lavender, tar, dark fruit with earthiness into medium-long finish, flavors focused to mid-palate, balanced acidity more obvious. Polished, without rough edges. Easy drinking and likely good with food.

At 4.5 hours: Pleasant on the palate, soft, smooth, rose petals, lavender, gentle tannin, blueberry, hint of tar, cola, coffee, suggestion of orange tea, enjoyable grip under lips and on tongue, most of the action on the tongue. Big like. Drink me. Now.

Thoughts: Pair with BBQ, beef brisket and more robust foods. Too much for gently seasoned lamb as I discovered (that's not a bad thing). Enjoy this wonderful Washington Syrah and become a fan. Recommended + Great Value.

Blend: 89% Syrah, 7% Viognier, 2% Merlot, 2% Malbec
Closure: 2+1
ABV: 13.5%
SRP: $12 (purchased locally)

VISIT THE WINERY
Columbia Crest Winery
Hwy 221, Columbia Crest Dr.
Paterson, WA 99345
Telephone (509) 875-4227
Open Daily 10:00am - 4:30pm

photo

When you pass through the Tri-Cities where I live, the Columbia Crest winery is only a 30 minute side trip from Richland. They have a very nice facility and an impressive tasting available. I enjoyed a wonderful visit last October. Add to your must visit list.
Cheers!

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Sho Chiku Bai, Unfiltered Sake

Last month in Seattle, I purchased a bottle of Nigori sake at Uwajimaya. Uwajimaya is one of the largest Asian grocery retailers in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been visiting Uwajimaya for almost 40 years. When I was much younger, I’d buy model ship and plane kits, Japanese comic books (manga) and I never left without at least one steaming Humbow in hand. Today I buy the manga for my son; while I still enjoy the tasty steamed Humbows, now I never leave without at least one bottle of Sake in hand. Uwajimaya has a terrific selection of imported sake. This most recent visit, I left with a bottle of Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake. Nigori sake is generally the sweetest of all sakes, with a fruity nose and a mild flavor, making a great drink to complement spicy foods or as a dessert wine. Typical sake is usually filtered to remove grain solids left behind after the fermentation process; however Nigori sake remains unfiltered, resulting in a cloudier beverage. Before serving, the bottle must

My Current State of Wine

"Do I still work in the wine industry?" Like many of you, the Covid pandemic altered my life trajectory. Today, I am going to re-cap where I am in the wine industry. My story will bounce back and forth for context. Remember, I like to connect the dots. The Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center in Prosser, Washington. First, everyone asks me, what happened to the Walter Clore Wine and Culinary Center (Clore Center)? Good question. The Clore Center, located in Prosser, Washington, birthplace of Washington wine, opened in 2014 as a not for profit. The primary mission of the Clore Center was to promote " Washington state wine ." I began working at the Clore Center in October 2015. My last title was, Wine Education Coordinator . We finally, sadly, closed our doors in November 2020.  It was my sincerest pleasure to work at the Clore Center for five years. I made many friends in the industry and in the community. I met many people from around the country and from around th

A Special Oregon Pinot Noir with Eastern North Carolina Inspired Ribs #OTBN #winePW 10

Open That Bottle Night - A great excuse for a Wine Pairing Weekend.  February 28th was Open That Bottle Night - I selected a bottle of wine I helped blend using barrel samples of Pinot Noir from R. Stuart winery in McMinville, Oregon. I was saving this bottle for a special occasion and knew it was likely time to open and drink. I hoped it had improved. "Blending wine is no task for mere mortals."   - William Pollard Jr.  Our Wine Pairing Weekend group decided Open That Bottle Night would be an appropriate occasion to pair our selected bottle of wine with something special as well. After some consideration, I decided North Carolina ribs would likely pair well with my special bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. For this post I'll review the wine first, then provide the recipe, and wrap up with the results of this wine + food pairing. *Note: What is Open That Bottle Night? Wife and Husband columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher invented Open That Bottle