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 Vintage2010 Label 1 of 29 
TypeRed
ProducerChateau Ste. Michelle (web)
VarietySyrah
Designationn/a
Vineyardn/a
CountryUSA
RegionWashington
SubRegionColumbia Valley
AppellationColumbia Valley
UPC Code(s)088586000751

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2014 and 2017 (based on 61 user opinions)

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 87.8 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 6 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by BalthazarVonBratwurst on 10/11/2013 & rated 86 points: Very round, beautiful berry and floral aromas. Too jammy for my taste though, but still very enjoyable. (1786 views)
 Tasted by qwerty2 on 8/8/2013 & rated 89 points: I need to go right back to the store, this week, and buy more while it's still on sale. Excellent Syrah, especially considering the price. Love the depth, and the fragrance. (1721 views)
 Tasted by forceberry on 3/13/2013 & rated 86 points: A blend of Syrah (99%) and Viognier (1%). Aged for 14 months in French and American oak barrels, of which 12% were new.

Opaque purple red color. Quite fruit-forward nose that is dominated by rather obvious, lactic MLF aromas of strawberry yoghurt. There are also aromas of ripe, dark forest berries, sweet raspberries, licorice, peppery spice and some toffee oak. The nose is obviously new world in style, but from the more elegant and restrained end of the spectrum. On the palate the wine is dominated by very ripe, almost jammy, fruit-forwad flavors of bilberries, raspberries, cherries and blackberries with some peppery Syrah spice and a hint of smoke. Despite this quite sweet character, the wine isn't heavy or monolithic, but instead surprisingly fresh and delicate. Moderate on acidity, quite mellow and easy on the tannin department. Quite sweet, soft and mellow finish with medium-length aftertaste of strawberry jam, ripe blackberry, some smoke, a little vanilla and a hint of cocoa oak.

On one hand the wine feels like a regular, inexpensive new world Shiraz, but on the other hand this wine shows quite attractive freshness and lightness of body with quite sensible use of oak and nice drinkability; probably not the most memorable Washington Syrah, but still a surprisingly balanced and sophisticated effort for such. Overall this is an easily approachable, balanced and sophisticated new world Syrah that would benefit from short-term cellaring just to get rid of those excessive MLF lactic aromas. Not a wine that would win Northern Rhône fans over, but one that shows good balance for an American wine. Decent QPR at 15,65e. (911 views)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Producer website

Syrah

Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)

Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent.

USA

American wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.

Washington

Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article

Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.

Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.

Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.

Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.

Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.

History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.

State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.

Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon Rimmerman

Columbia Valley

Columbia Cascade Winery Association

The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.

Columbia Valley

Columbia Valley Winery Association

 
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