One of the outstanding and novel wines produced in North America, Cayuse might be best known for their Syrahs but they make sensational Tempranillo. Vigneron Christophe Baron was raised in Champagne and was was the youngest heir of the famed Champagne house, Baron Albert. His ancestors had worked the land at Baron Albert since 1677. As a young boy Christophe worked harvests 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 wines that show an incredible combination of tension, range and terroir.
He made the brave decision to plant Tempranillo in the stones which and was the first of his kind to do so. He saw the potential for this earthy varietal to flourish in his vineyards. While his Tempranillos might not share the glamour of his famed ‘Bionic Frog’ Syrah and others, he and director of winemaker Elizabeth Bourcier are crafting some of the finest Tempranillo you will find in North America, rivaling the best in Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
2020 was a hard vintage with the smoke event impacting the vineyards throughout the Pacific Northwest. Many Oregon Pinot Noir producers did not make red wines in 2020. His 2020 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo (OB, 96) is one of the best wines made this vintage. Stony and savoy with loads of texture and mouth-watering acidity, this beautiful wine is drinking marvelously right now. I really enjoyed tasting this wine alongside the 2019 and 2018 editions of the ‘Impulsivo.’ The 2018 and 2019 are quite different animals, with the 2018 being fleshy and dense — more hedonistic — while the 2019 has better finesse and bright acidity. I scored both of these wines 97 points, as they are truly unique wines of epic proportion. These wines can be found at select wine shops, on the Cayuse mailing list or online and learn more at cayusevineyards.com. Here are my reviews of the incredible 2018-2020 Tempranillos by Cayuse Vineyards.
2018 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsive’ Tempranillo- A blockbuster effort, the 2018 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo is a dense and heady wine that really needs about an hour of air to fully get going. Once on the nose this takes on layers of bacon fat, black currants, tar and black licorice notes with plenty of stony undertones. The palate comes off fat and viscous with a tremendous texture and great underlying tension that runs through its veins. Rich and layered, with tobacco leaf and black olive accents, this is an astonishingly good wine that will live on for at least another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 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 2023-2033- 97
2020 Cayuse Vineyards ‘Impulsivo’ Tempranillo- The sensational 2020 ‘Impulsivo’ is a powerful wine from a tough vintage. On the nose this shows dried herbs and freshly tilled rocky soils alongside black plum and baking spices. The palate is deep and concentrated, yet maintains beautiful freshness and a strong douse of salinity. Complex, novel, enjoy this one of a kind Tempranillo now and over the next six years. Drink 2023-2029- 96