2013 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard
Community Tasting Note
Oberunter-5 Likes this wine:
Monday, January 23, 2023 - 100% Syrah
On opening a wild, savory nose emerged--cigar ash, wet campfire, olive brine, seared meat--and slowly receded over three days. By the third day, the savory side of the nose had dissipated for the most part into blue and black fruits--overripe, sometimes on the verge of rotting it seemed. The palate followed a similar arc--savory at first with fruit mainly at the back. The same Amaro-like medicinal note I found in the '13 God Only Knows cropped up occasionally, but here it felt less intrusive, given the earthy character of the wine.
Perhaps what I found most interesting was that the fruit was clearest on the third day--both on the nose and the palate. Both showed sweet blue and black fruits unobstructed by the so-called Rocks funk. Because it took so long for the fruit to emerge, I think these wines may live longer than some believe. I doubt that the '13s--or at least the Armada--have even approached their prime.
Highly recommended--one of the most unique wines I've tried
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2 comments have been posted
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Comment posted by rben_mvp:
1/24/2023 9:17:00 PM - My experience with Cayuse (since 2001 vintage) is the funk, etc., comes first and then the fruit (sometimes after hours of decanting or years of cellaring). Most new world wines seem to show their fruit first. So your assessment is consistent with my experience (for what it's worth). I probably won't open this wine for another three to five years.
Comment posted by Ron Slye:
1/25/2023 10:51:00 AM - That is my experience as well, going back one more year to 2000! For those who like the funk (which I sometimes do), then drinking in the early years makes sense. But with time these do not fall apart, they evolve into something equally (or more) interesting.