Sitting across from Mario and Travis Allen I beamed with delight. ‘Wow’ is all I said after tasting the new ‘Sans Soufre’ Syrah — to my knowledge the only natural Syrah made in Washington. Over the past few years Travis has quickly become one of the state’s great winemakers. A nurse-anesthetist by trade, Allen has taken the Washington wine scene by storm with his unique, single vineyard bottlings that are made in very small quantities. These are wines that show great depth, concentration, finesse and terroir.
I first met Allen at Hospice du Rhone years ago and could tell how not only passionate but talented he was. Allen said over and over again that he wanted to make wines that are different and that showcase the beauty of top vineyards. I have been enamored by these wines since I first tasted them years ago. The new wines are utterly sensational across the board. One of the great white wines from Washington that I have tasted in the past year, the 2021 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane (OB, 96) is deep and rich with sensational flavor range. Even better is a wine that flirts with perfection, the 2021 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard Sans Soufre’ Syrah (OB, 99) is rich and viscous with a seamless mouthfeel. Learn more at https://kobayashiwinery.com and here are my reviews of the sensational new wines by Kobayashi winery.
2021 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane- The 2021 Kobayashi Marsanne-Roussane comes from the Boushey and WeatherEye Vineyards. This saw a week of cold ferment, as this was aged in 50% new French cigar-shaped barrels before bottling. Ripe apricot and hay combine with shades of baking spice dusted cantaloupe and toasted brioche on the palate. The palate is fresh and mineral-driven, yet shows a seamless texture and glorious length, with an underlying salty character. The combination of weight and finesse really make this sing. Enjoy this beauty over the next eight years. Drink 2022-2030- 96
2021 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard Sans Soufre’ Syrah- The stunning 2021 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard Sans Soufre’ Syrah is a blockbuster effort by winemaker Travis Allen. Sourced from this north-facing vineyard, each cluster was placed into the barrel and this received no punchdowns or pump-overs as the barrels were rotated and then the wine was pressed into one neutral puncheon. This was topped once a week and oxygen content was extremely limited before bottling in May 2022. Inky in the glass, this reveals copious purple flowers with tar and tobacco alongside huckleberry pie. This is a massive, hedonistic wine with a serious tannic backbone and incredible finesse. Very concentrated black and blue fruits collide with graphite, iodine, scorched earth, purple rose water and suggestions of Turkish coffee grounds. This is deep, massive, and complex wine that is absolutely irresistible to consume now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2022-2028- 99
2020 Kobayashi ‘WeatherEye Vineyard’ Syrah- The beautiful 2020 ‘WeatherEye Vineyard’ Syrah has a touch of Viognier added, as this was stored in neutral oak before bottling. The wine shows off white pepper and BBQ beef ribs alongside blackberry compote and worn leather tones. This is seamless and soft on the approach as this effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. The Syrah shows amazing finesse and weight, yet comes off very weightless, as this beautiful wine will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2022-2032- 97
2020 Kobayashi Red Wine- The 2020 Kobayashi Red Wine blends 60% Cabernet Franc with 40% Meriot which was mainly sourced from the WeatherEye Vineyard. Very dense and inky in the glass, the 2020 Kobayashi Red Wine opens with Asian spices and potpourri alongside violets, black currants and cigar box. The palate is incredibly plush and seamless with a light tannic backbone holding everything in place. This is generous with refined tannins and rich boysenberry cordial, coffee grounds, tar and suggestions of exotic spices. Drink 2022-2032. 97
2019 Kobayashi ‘Light of the Night’ Dessert Wine- Made from concentrated Viognier grapes with a touch of Syrah, the 2019 Kobayashi ‘Light of the Night’ Dessert Wine is a stunning new wine that is truly unique to Washington. Once on the nose this takes on salted praline notes alongside white peach and suggestions of vanilla creme brûlée. The palate shows a beautiful underlying structure with star jasmine water, apricot jelly and roasted pineapple upside-down cake. Complex and delicious, this is seriously novel stuff that is already beautifully evolved and is going to provide drinking enjoyment for another ten plus years. Drink 2022-2032- 96