Walla Walla Syrah Festival "Vintage Pour" (Cavu Cellars, Walla Walla): Wine of the night! Stone, black and green olives, white pepper, funk, blue currants and earth. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Drink now to 2030. Outstanding wine and top 10 of the year candidate.
First of two bottles purchased from the winery. I would say this is aged to perfection and right in the prime drinking window. Plenty of rocks funk (but not too much) and plenty of fantastic Syrah goodness from WA/OR State. The acidity and finish just won't quit. This needed about 45 mins of air and then it was singing all night long through dinner and post dinner. Kudos to both the winemaker (Trey) and the other winemaker/vineyard manager Richard Funk (Saviah). This is indeed a special place for growing grapes.
Blood red in color. 13.6% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, olive brine, barbecued meats and flowers. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Plush and concentrated. Cherries, game, coffe, smoke and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. One of the first wines from Sleight of Hand that demonstrated the deft touch of Trey Busch with fruit from the Rocks District. Best over the next several years.
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Our neighbors brought this to our 1/12/19 beef tenderloin dinner. It had a rich, fragrant and funky nose of soil, mold, smoked meat, black cherry, plum, char, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was rich and layered with flavors of black cherry, plum, black olive, char, pepper, spice and minerals.
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Dark ruby with nose of ripe cherries and mushrooms. Bold fruit with some nice acid for balance, light on the tannins which are well integrated, giving a soft, velvety mouthfeel. Most of Trey's wines I have consumed were from the Basel days which I found very enjoyable when starting to explore the region. They were bought at steep discount and very good value. This one is way above my regular price range and my palate is more on the AFWE scale now. This being a cool vintage, the fit works well with sufficient acid and restraint for my palate. With a bit of air, tertiary flavors are starting to emerge all to the good. Starting to get some damp earth and leather notes.
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P&P. This has smoothed out with some additional bottle age. Loving the funky "Rocks" nose...it's so good! Flavors of sweet black fruit, tart cranberry, brine, roasted meat, river rocks, ending with a light vanilla finish. Slightly flat on the mid-palate, the acidity is fairly low with a very light tannin structure. I would consume these in the short term. Drink now - 2019.
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Love the Funk! Although less funk on this wine than on the 2013 RoaC Christmas Cuvee we drank alongside it. I think a decant would have helped here, as this wine may be closed down right now. Bramble, boysenberry, cracked peppercorn, smoked meat. Drink now with an hour or two decant, through 2020+.
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This one lives up to the name. Funkier than a JBs concert circa 1973. Ranges on the more muscular side of the spectrum. Dark and savory with little fruit but lots of cured meat, leather, tar. Me likey!
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Deep ruby. Aromas of meat, brine, dark cherry and pepper. Flavors of meat, stone, olives, cherry and wildflowers. Well balanced, supple body. Integrated tannins. Longish finish. Very nice.
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7/14/2022 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 95 Points
Walla Walla Syrah Festival "Vintage Pour" (Cavu Cellars, Walla Walla): Wine of the night! Stone, black and green olives, white pepper, funk, blue currants and earth. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Drink now to 2030. Outstanding wine and top 10 of the year candidate.
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9/29/2021 - knorthrip Likes this wine: 93 Points
Funky but elegant. Drinking really well right now.
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9/26/2021 - ibglowin Likes this wine: 94 Points
First of two bottles purchased from the winery. I would say this is aged to perfection and right in the prime drinking window. Plenty of rocks funk (but not too much) and plenty of fantastic Syrah goodness from WA/OR State. The acidity and finish just won't quit. This needed about 45 mins of air and then it was singing all night long through dinner and post dinner. Kudos to both the winemaker (Trey) and the other winemaker/vineyard manager Richard Funk (Saviah). This is indeed a special place for growing grapes.
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3/23/2020 - tomlee wrote: 95 Points
Blood red in color. 13.6% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, olive brine, barbecued meats and flowers. Medium to full bodied with mouth watering acidity. Plush and concentrated. Cherries, game, coffe, smoke and minerals on the palate. Tremendous length on the finish. One of the first wines from Sleight of Hand that demonstrated the deft touch of Trey Busch with fruit from the Rocks District. Best over the next several years.
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1/12/2019 - garambler Likes this wine: 92 Points
Our neighbors brought this to our 1/12/19 beef tenderloin dinner. It had a rich, fragrant and funky nose of soil, mold, smoked meat, black cherry, plum, char, pepper and spice aromas. The palate was rich and layered with flavors of black cherry, plum, black olive, char, pepper, spice and minerals.
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10/3/2018 - dsgris Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby with nose of ripe cherries and mushrooms. Bold fruit with some nice acid for balance, light on the tannins which are well integrated, giving a soft, velvety mouthfeel. Most of Trey's wines I have consumed were from the Basel days which I found very enjoyable when starting to explore the region. They were bought at steep discount and very good value. This one is way above my regular price range and my palate is more on the AFWE scale now. This being a cool vintage, the fit works well with sufficient acid and restraint for my palate. With a bit of air, tertiary flavors are starting to emerge all to the good. Starting to get some damp earth and leather notes.
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9/17/2017 - RPerro Likes this wine: 89 Points
P&P. This has smoothed out with some additional bottle age. Loving the funky "Rocks" nose...it's so good! Flavors of sweet black fruit, tart cranberry, brine, roasted meat, river rocks, ending with a light vanilla finish. Slightly flat on the mid-palate, the acidity is fairly low with a very light tannin structure. I would consume these in the short term. Drink now - 2019.
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11/27/2016 - RPerro Likes this wine: 90 Points
Love the Funk! Although less funk on this wine than on the 2013 RoaC Christmas Cuvee we drank alongside it. I think a decant would have helped here, as this wine may be closed down right now. Bramble, boysenberry, cracked peppercorn, smoked meat. Drink now with an hour or two decant, through 2020+.
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9/19/2016 - jeffmudd wrote: 94 Points
Good news, outstanding wine. Bad news, I'm missing 2 bottles from the dollar.
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1/31/2016 - brown57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This one lives up to the name. Funkier than a JBs concert circa 1973. Ranges on the more muscular side of the spectrum. Dark and savory with little fruit but lots of cured meat, leather, tar. Me likey!
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12/15/2015 - jimmyrice14 wrote: 93 Points
Fantastic effort again by Trey and the team...bold, big and smooth. Great syrah.
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12/15/2013 - mcsac67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep ruby. Aromas of meat, brine, dark cherry and pepper. Flavors of meat, stone, olives, cherry and wildflowers. Well balanced, supple body. Integrated tannins. Longish finish. Very nice.
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