You can’t explain terroir until you visit a vineyard and taste the fruits of its labor in the glass. Such is true with the wines by Walla Walla wine pioneer Christophe Baron and his resident vigneronne Elizabeth Bourcier. An amazing story in wine, famed vigneron, Christophe Baron, was the youngest heir of the famed Champagne house, Baron Albert and his ancestors had worked the land at Baron Albert since 1677. Christophe learned about harvests and wine as a young boy and eventually studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne. After some travels he was drawn to the Willamette Valley, and was set on making great Pinot Noir. One day he was outside of Walla Walla and saw terroir inspired by the stony galets of Chateauneuf du Pape. We are all thankful that he decided to plant his vineyard back in 1997 and the rest has been history. Christophe has had unparalleled success in the Walla Walla Valley since that time, crafting stony, one of a kind wines that embody an incredible combination of tension, range and terroir.
Each summer I sit down with Christophe and Elizabeth and taste through their lineup of wines. The wines this year come from the 2019 vintage which was slightly cooler and more challenging at harvest with freezes occurring in early October. Christophe, Elizabeth and their team brilliantly navigated this vintage, producing wines that show gobs of finesse, with good phenolic ripeness and flavor complexity. These are slightly more tension-filled bottlings and more akin to that produced in 2010, 2011 and 2017.
A stunning new Rose, the 2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Edith’ Rose (OB, 94) is one of the finest Rose wines in the world that I have tasted in the past year including Domaines Ott and Tempier. Give this beauty some air and do not serve cold to take in the thrilling range and stony essence of the wine.
Truly one of the finest Grenache wines in North America, the 2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine (OB, 99) flirts with perfection with its utterly captivating flavor and aromatic range. I am enamored by the 2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah (OB, 98) which is deep and concentrated, really needing a few hours to fully show its potential. This is one for any serious collector of Cayuse wines. Learn more about these incredible wines at https://cayusevineyards.com Here are the dazzling new wines by Cayuse Vineyards.
2020 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Cailloux Vineyard’ Viognier- The 2020 Cayuse ‘Cailloux Vineyard’ Viognier was made in small quantities from this famed stony site in Milton-Freewater, Oregon. Entirely stored in concrete and stainless steel before being bottled, the wine shows off a seamless sense of mouthfeel upon entry. The tension is stunning here, as this Viognier shows the warmth of the vintage with ripe cantaloupe, poached pear, honeysuckle water and shades of mango on the palate. Finishing very long, this is delicious, already beautifully evolved wine to consume now and over the next five plus years. Drink 2022-2027- 94
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Edith’ Rose- This very paled colored 2020 ‘Edith’ Rose was aged in both concrete and stainless steel. Sourced from the ‘Armada Vineyard’ the wine takes on immediate appeal with tangerine peel aromas, alongside wet stone and suggestions of guava on the beautiful bouquet. The plate is rich with gobs of finesse and mouth-watering acidity. White rose water, cranberry and orange zest flavors all tantalizingly combine, with a silky texture and beautiful length. Enjoy this incredible new Rose over the next five plus years. Drink 2022-2027- 94
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine- One of the great Grenache wines of North America, the ebullient 2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘God Only Knows’ Red Wine has a small portion of Syrah blended in, as this was entirely sourced from the Armada Vineyard. Showing a dark core once in the glass, the captivating aromatics bring you back to the glass. Mandarin orange rind dusted seaweed, flint, Yakima cherry puree and pretty strawberry tones combine with lighter red florals on the nose. The palate is utterly seamless and soft once on the mouth, with serious minerality. The combination of bright acidity and weight really adds pleasure. Very stony and finishing long with bright red fruits and kumquat rind accents, this dizzying Grenache is truly one of a kind. Enjoy this beauty over the next decade and give this at least 30 minutes of air if savoring now. Drink 2022-2031- 99
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Flying Pig’ Red Wine- The gorgeous new 2019 ‘Flying Pig’ is gorgeous blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot (45% each) with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Franc seems to be shining the most brightly, as red bell pepper and red rose petals combine with sagebrush, wet stone and suggestions of loganberry preserves. Upon entry the wine comes off very seamless and soft, with a smooth texture. Rich dark fruits and a dusting of white pepper parade with gravel, barberry and garrigue notes on the palate. This becomes even better after an hour of air, as more of the herbal tones dust off and the fruit character ripens. Finishing long, this outstanding wine is best consumed over the next ten years. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘The Lovers’ Red Wine- The gorgeous 2019 ‘The Lovers’ is a knockout blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Syrah. Ripe dark currants and red cherry compote combine with salted Kalmata olive and provencal herbal notes that all dazzle in the glass. The palate is plush, with a serious mineral backbone. Chewy with a soft mouthfeel, this delivers a gorgeous range of red and dark fruits with pipe tobacco, menthol and suggestions of wet stone and nori, displaying no rough edges. Enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next ten plus years. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Camaspelo’ Red Wine- Very deeply colored in the glass, the 2019 ‘Camaspelo’ is a gorgeous proprietary amalgamation of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with a splash ofTempranillo. Not needing any time to get going, this is immediately appealing with its black raspberry and black cherry compote tones alongside black rose petals and suggestions of wild herbs. The palate is very round and seamless with a dazzling veil of tension and plenty of mouth-watering acidity. Salted meats, Earl Grey tea and rich dark fruits combine with flinty undercurrents on the palate. Finishing long, this is beautifully evolved, well-balanced stuff that is absolutely killer to enjoy right now. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Widowmaker En Chamberlin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A knockout effort in 2019, the Cayuse ‘Widowmaker’ is a rich and highly structured wine that is already drinking brilliantly. Once on the nose this takes on layers of black cherry compote, Shiitake mushroom, smoked brisket and suggestions of wet gravel. Bright and vibrant on the mouth, the feeling of weight and tension really impresses. The palate displays a gorgeous combination of red and dark fruits with Hoisin sauce, bacon fat and shades of huckleberry. Finishing long, enjoy this beautifully evolved Cabernet Sauvignon over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 95
2019 Cayuse ‘Cailloux Vineyard’ Syrah- The stunning, finesse-driven, very stony 2019 ‘Cailloux Vineyard’ Syrah has 5% Viognier co-fermented. Immediately you notice the high tones from the Viognier, with orange blossom and citrus rind tones that combine with soy sauce, black olive tapenade and pretty white pepper dusted red fruits. Very fragrant, you are drawn back to the glass for more aromatic enjoyment. The wine is vibrant and also very seamless, with a lengthy finish and a wonderful douse of salinity and stony undercurrents. Slightly less weighted and more linear than the 2018, this haas vibrant tension that will make this beautiful Syrah shine on for at least another decade. Drink 2022-2032- 96
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘En Cerise Vineyard’ Syrah- A beautifully evolved wine to enjoy now, the 2019 ‘En Cerise Vineyard’ Syrah is a gorgeous effort that is already shining brightly at the three year mark. Coming from a ten acre site that was a former cherry orchard, this delivers a deeper array of aromas with black cherry, sea kelp, charcuterie, dark currants and stony undertones. With loads of minerality, the palate is ripe and rich, with serious finesse and a lengthy finish that doesn’t stop. Salty and savory, as well as very weightless, enjoy this stunning Syrah over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 96
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘En Chamberlin Vineyard’ Syrah- Seriously good right now, the 2019 ‘En Chamberlin Syrah’ was first produced in 2002, this is already beautifully evolved on the nose with burning cedar, cran-cherry, cigar box and Kalamata olives that all meld in the glass. Soft and downright delicious once on the mouth, this comes off exceedingly terroir-driven with its stony and salty profile. With loads of mouth-watering acidity, this shows dense wild blackberry, smoked meats, worn leather and gravel tones that make this impossible to resist right now. Give this about 30 minutes of air and watch it unwind. Drink 2022-2032- 96
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah- One of the great wines produced in this vintage, the scintillating 2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah shows deep concentration and flavor density that anyone would envy in this vintage. Stored in 20% new large format French oak prior to bottling, this coats the palate with a seamless sense of mouthfeel. Rich dark cherry syrup, wet gravel, pipe tobacco, prosciutto and salted meats all deftly come together on the palate. Wait for the spellbinding finish. Gratifying to consume now, with its mineral edge and salty/stony accents, give this at least 20-30 minutes of air prior to consuming and enjoy over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2022-2033- 98
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Armada Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2019 ‘Armada Vineyard’ Syrah is a vibrant wine that shows great verve and concentration from this slightly cooler vintage. Right away the nose is very alluring with soy sauce, forest floor, white truffle and Mandarin orange rind with red cherry candy. The stunning range of aromatics bring you back to the glass. With loads of mouth-watering acidity, this is exceedingly difficult to put down. Concentrated red and dark fruits parade with stony minerals, and suggestions of white pepper dusted bacon on the palate. Complex and delicious, this is one of the great wines made in 2019. Drink 2022-2032- 97
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Wallah Wallah Special Syrah #13- One of the outstanding Syrahs made in Washington, the ‘Wallah Wallah Special #13’ is a rich and layered proprietary blend of Syrah, sourced from a range of Christophe Baron’s vineyards. Slightly lighter than the 2018 edition, this opens with damp chimney aromas alongside blackberry cordial, anise, black truffle shavings and shades of Earl Grey tea. Inviting and soft on the mouth, this shows sterling tension and a light dusting of salinity that runs through the core of medium to full-bodied dark fruits. The levels lip-smacking acidity makes you salivate as you savor this stony beauty. Enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 97
2019 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo- A virtuoso performance in this slightly cooler vintage, the very stony and delicious 2019 ‘Impulsivo’ is up there with the finest wines of its kind in North America. Deeply colored in the glass, this reveals wet rock, violets, black tea and exotic spices on the palate, with menthol and concentrated boysenberry flavors. Complex and delicious, with great weight, length and finesse, this beautiful wine will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade. Drink 2022-2033- 97