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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 48 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by sesalmon on 2/26/2016 flawed bottle: A promising wine, with a wonderful bouquet. Sadly the wine was off with an overpowering sour cherry flavor that made it undrinkable. (2744 views) | | | Tasted by Canoehead on 4/12/2015 & rated 93 points: The magnum size seems to have preserved the freshness and vitality of this wine. Acid was still present and so was the ripe black fruit. Terrific mouthful and a long finish of blackberries and some spice. Went very well with hot pepper chicken. Sadly the last bottle. (3095 views) | | | Tasted by mattlennert on 2/16/2013 & rated 90 points: Not the same wine it was a few years ago, as all wines must come to their inevitable demise if not consumed at peak. Still, the wine is sold. Heavy black fruits, significant flavors of chocolate and coffee that I don't remember tasting at all in previous years. The fruit is falling off though, so I think you should drink up if you have this win in your cellar now. (4374 views) | | | Tasted by jimmyrice14 on 10/6/2012 & rated 92 points: Wow...could have gone another few years on the bottle...fantastic. (4691 views) | | | Tasted by MoreWinePlease on 3/28/2012 & rated 87 points: Good but w/juicy acids and not enough fat/spicy fruit. I've had several of their Lewis bottlings which were stunning 94+ bottles so this is a bit of a let down. (4909 views) | | | Tasted by dekay on 2/9/2012 & rated 90 points: Very consistent with a bottle a year ago. Dark fruit, spice on the nose. Flesh has fallen from the fruit, leaving it out of balance but with the still vibrant acidity. Certainly at the end of its window. (3018 views) | | | Tasted by skifree on 9/24/2011 flawed bottle: Acidic undrinkable mess, assume this was corked. (3403 views) | | | Tasted by bugdoced on 8/7/2011 & rated 94 points: one of the last wines rated delicious in the wall street journal; this has come together beautifully with a nose of typical syrah must followed by fruit and a taste on the tongue lasting forever; yet another bottle gone in a second in our house; drink now (2326 views) | | | Tasted by dekay on 4/14/2011 & rated 89 points: Floral, dark fruit and spice on the nose, mildly tart acidity, but a lack of fruit and body makes it a bit hollow. Fades into a short finish. Doesn't improve with time or air; loses its aromas without gaining much body. (2372 views) | | | Tasted by IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot on 4/3/2011 & rated 93 points: Big Syrah, but had lots of interesting elements going on. Polished tannins, dark fruit, long finish. Really nice... (2685 views) | | | Tasted by dsarendt on 1/29/2011: Sweet floral nose, almost berry...very fruit forward, fruit bomb syrah..subtle finish, nice drinking wine..a little tanic, but even.
Highly structered, nice tanin...easy.. (3144 views) | | | Tasted by dsarendt on 1/29/2011 & rated 85 points: Very floral nose almost berry in the nose, forward fruit, almost a fruit bomb syrah. Mellow tannin, with a good hint of oak, very good to drink in 2011..cellared well, nice surpise..up to the standard of Washington Syrah. (3172 views) | | | Tasted by circadumonde on 12/17/2010 & rated 95 points: One of the best takes on my favorite varietal-Wall St.Journal's Dottie and John had it right when they gave this a delicious rating-best syrah. Upon opening, hints of olive, heather, worcestershire, brown sugar. Layered and complex, with a cloudy purple appearance. Over the course of three hours, I lamented the fact that as the wine got better, I drank my last bottle. (2829 views) | | | Tasted by bugdoced on 11/14/2010 & rated 91 points: angry on first opening,then a nice balance of rich dark fruit and some earth;well put together and ready to drink in our world;the fruit on the nose adds to the contemplative aspect of this wine;thank you dottie;write some more please (2851 views) | | | Tasted by dpmiv on 10/24/2010 & rated 91 points: It has been a while since I had a Dunham syrah -- I'm VERY impressed. Decanted about 90 minutes. This is an exceptional wine, especially for one which can be purchased at Costco at a great price. (2922 views) | | | Tasted by IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot on 7/11/2010 & rated 94 points: Stunning. (3342 views) | | | Tasted by enjoyvino on 5/29/2010 & rated 92 points: Fantastic nose! Floral, violets, blue/black fruit and maybe a little mineral. Great mouthfeel, blackberry, spices and a nice medium to long finish. (3276 views) | | | Tasted by bmilesfl on 5/26/2010 flawed bottle: %#&$!? Bought at winery 2 years ago. Carefully brought back home, cellared in EuroCave ever since. My reward? A vinegar, tart mess. A flawed bottle! Too bad. My first try from this producer. Only one bottle left to try. Scared to open now. (3692 views) | | | Tasted by danielbleier on 5/21/2010 & rated 94 points: Blueberries and blackberies, rich almost syrupy body, Lucious (3460 views) | | | Tasted by futurist on 4/13/2010 & rated 82 points: Aw, damn. It was a decent bottle picked up at an auction and saved for a nice, group event. But the wine was just a little bit better than okay, and it really didn't measure up to the estate vineyard Dunham Syrahs. Nose was fine, coming across a little reduced, but the first taste revealed a fairly generic Syrah with none of the meaty, funky qualities found in the better WW vineyards.
I'd've been fine with this if it had just been a $15 bottle to have with pizza, but the 1.5Ml bottle cost a lot more and failed to bring a party with it. (1657 views) | | | Tasted by RPerro on 3/27/2010 & rated 94 points: From magnum. Incredible syrah...very rich and complex wine, with lots going on. Primary flavors of blackberry and pepper, with some secondary floral and earth characteristics. This is a VERY well-made syrah, and I'm bummed I have no more. (3441 views) | | | Tasted by JasonG on 3/21/2010 & rated 89 points: An even-handed effort, fronted with noticeable alcohol, but long and lasting fruit and earth. Really a great example of when Walla Walla was small, and fruit with this depth of character was easy to find. Perfectly aged right now. Let it breathe for an hour to round out with floral tones. Incredibly dark purple. (3271 views) | | | Tasted by enjoyvino on 3/7/2010 & rated 92 points: Really nice complex and full nose out of the glass. Really fills out across the palate, medium to full bodied and a great finish. (3462 views) | | | Tasted by TwoSmoochies on 2/28/2010 & rated 92 points: great wine! (3565 views) | | | Tasted by Zeejayzee on 12/30/2009 & rated 93 points: Amazing. As different as any wine I've ever had. Dirty purple color, wild bramble quality. Like weeds turned into wine. Drink with a turkey dinner - oohs and ahhs around the table. (3668 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Dunham Cellars Producer website2004 Dunham Cellars SyrahWINEMAKER NOTES:
Spicy black cherry cola, pomegranate, cassis and sweet tobacco on the nose, with a richly structured and balanced mouth.
VARIETAL: 100% Syrah
VINEYARD: Lewis Vineyard
TECHNICAL INFO: PH: 3.65; T.A.: 7.9 g/L; SUGAR: Less than 0.2% residual sugar; ALCOHOL: 13.8%
BARREL AGING: OAK: 60% French - 40% American, 70% new oak - 30% used oak
CASES PRODUCED: 1,686
BOTTLED: March 28, 2006
RELEASED: December 1, 2006
SOURCE:http://www.dunhamcellars.com/wines/current-releases/2004-columbia-valley-syrah/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. USAAmerican 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 RimmermanColumbia 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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