2015 Gramercy Cellars Syrah Lower East

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Lower East, 8/26/2018

  (Gramercy Cellars Lower East Syrah) Hello friends. When Greg Harrington and Brandon Moss debuted their Lower East “extension” into the realm of a Syrah-based wine with the 2012 vintage, I remember thinking that it was a pretty strong deal at our 32.99/29.99 TPU pricing. Nowadays, at current pricing, this has to be one of the most compelling Syrah values made in Washington each year:[Please note: we also have two bonus wines below, the first a reoffer of Lower East Cab, the second a Syrah one rung up the ladder from Lower East.] From the beginning, the beating heart of Gramercy has been Syrah. What makes the Lower East version so exciting is that it’s the lowest-priced, most accessible Syrah we ever see from Gramercy. A chance for those interested in Greg’s Syrahs to see what all the fuss is about, and a chance for the Gramercy true believers to grab a wine that doesn’t need to be hoarded for special occasions. Now, some quick reminders on the Lower East project. You won’t generally find Lower East wines in Gramercy’s tasting room. You will rarely find them sold outside the Pac-NW. Lower East is a gift, from Greg Harrington to his local supporters. Most of it goes to restaurants, a reflection of Greg’s sommelier history (direct from Gramercy’s tech sheet: “The Lower East wines from Gramercy Cellars are created specifically for our friends in the restaurant industry.”) It allows somms all over Seattle to place a Gramercy wine on their list for $40-$60, as opposed to the $100+ that the rest of the lineup commands. But some gets allocated to retail channels, and especially to long-term supporters of the Gramercy portfolio. I sampled this and was totally blown away by the quality on offer for the price. Once I learned the vineyards involved, it all made sense: a trio of Yakima Valley stalwarts – Oldfield (adjacent to Boushey and farmed by Dick Boushey), Olsen, and Minick – alongside a fantastic Rocks Syrah site whose identity I’m sworn to protect. But I’ll say: my jaw dropped when I saw this name on the tech sheet. All that good Syrah fruit was fermented with 48% whole clusters, then aged for 16 months in a combination of French barriques and puncheons, just 11% new. Listed alc is 13.2%, which speaks to the use of cool Yakima Valley sites in a warm year. This kicks off with a nose full of wonderful savories – smoked ham hock and cremini mushroom, black olive and nori – partnered with a core of resinous blue fruit. The savory-fruity balance continues on the palate, which delights with its juicy, propulsive energy. Minick is a site that seems to add an acid spine and orange-peel complexities to any Syrah it touches, and that’s on fine display here. For umami-driven complexity and tensile texture, this is difficult to beat, especially at its price point today. Braise me a lamb shank ASAP please.