2016 Saviah Cellars Syrah The Funk Estate

JamesSuckling.com

• By James Suckling
  4/25/2019, (See more on JamesSuckling.com...)

  (Saviah Cellars Syrah Walla Walla Valley The Funk Estate, Red, United States) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  The 2016s From Washington State, 4/11/2019, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Saviah Cellars Syrah The Funk Estate Red) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Quality Funk, 3/11/2019

  (Saviah Cellars The Funk Syrah Funk Estate Vineyard) Hello friends. Is any winemaker more suitably named to make wine from the Rocks than Rich Funk of Saviah Cellars? Today we have one of his most highly allocated, lauded wines, the Funk. Whether that name refers to the man or the juice, who can say? And as a bonus, we also have access to the newest vintage of his Cabernet Sauvignon under the Jack label. One of the best bangs for your buck when it comes to Washington Cabernet, the Jack’s quality-to-price ratio stands up beautifully to the Funk’s inherent worth. Offering these wines side by side is a winning argument for the quality that Rich can put forth across a broad spectrum of price—even in the same vintage—with many different varietals. Yet another exclusive for our list members on a Rocks District Syrah that is exceedingly difficult to source. Saviah only produces 100 or so cases of this wine, and most of that production gets sold to their mailing list. The rest of the wine goes straight to Full Pull. You either get this bottle direct from the winery, or you get it from this very e-mail. Rich’s estate vineyard down in the rocks was planted in 2007 and came online in 2009. The soils showcase large basalt cobbles—it’s called the rocks for a reason—with particularly high levels of iron. (Read: hello meaty, savory funk.) It sits in a warmer portion of the Rocks, along a gentle slope that provides much needed air drainage. Many list members will remember the perils of frost that exist in this region. Just last year, the frost damage at neighboring Stoney Vine vineyard was too severe to yield usable fruit for our own Block Wines program. Funk Estate’s elevation and slope protect from debilitating weather. In 2016, the Funk is 96% Syrah (a mix of whole clusters and destemmed) cofermented with 4% Viognier and aged in French oak for about a year and a half. It opens with the Rocks’ greatest hits: an olive grove’s worth of brine, flowers, PacNW marionberries, and rich umami dashi. This has become one of my favorite celebrations of the savory, funky side of Syrah. In the mouth (14.6% listed alc), it saturates the palate with signature Rocks texture and a wealth of brackish goodness. The swirling stew of meats and minerals and fruits shines; this is a thrilling expression of rocks terroir. There are no reviews out yet for the 2016 vintage, but the 2015 received 95pts from Wine Advocate (William Kelley). [To put that into context, the only wineries to snag stronger reviews from Kelley for their Syrahs were Hors Categorie/Horsepower/No Girls, K Vintners, and Gramercy. Heady company.] The 2013 and 2014 received back-to-back 94pt reviews from both Wine Spectator (Harvey Steiman, Tim Fish) and Wine Enthusiast (Sean Sullivan). This is among the best examples of Syrah from the Rocks District—perhaps from Washington state itself—and in my opinion, this wine should be one of your must-have wines from year to year.