One of my favorite spots to taste in Seattle, with locations in Walla Walla but also SoDo, Sleight of Hand has a consistently great lineup of reds and whites. Founded back in 2007 by Trey Busch and Jerry and Sandy Solomon they have focused on top vineyard spots like StoneyVine and Upland as well as WeatherEye and Lewis Vineyards. Keith Johnson has been with the team since 2011 and oversees wine production on a daily basis. Keith also makes some amazing wines under his Devium label that are incredible in their own right.
The wines were seriously good across the board. I love the new 2023 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah (OB, 96) which is more dense and chewy than its ’22 edition. It is texturally ethereal with fabulous flavor range. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://www.sofhcellars.com Here are the awesome new release wines from Sleight of Hand.
2024 Sleight of Hand ‘The Magician’ Riesling- The 2024 ‘The Magician’ Riesling comes from the Evergreen Vineyard which is a cooler location in the Ancient Lakes AVA. This edition is bone-dry, made in the halb-trocken style, showing kerosene aromatic accents. Green herbs and sour yellow plum flavors mark the palate, alongside Gravenstein apple and a fat mouthfeel. This is going to pair with a dizzying array of foods. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2024 Sleight of Hand ‘The Enchantress’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘The Enchantress’ was sourced from some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in Washington State, from the French Creek Vineyard. Stored in mainly neutral oak barrels, this shows off nectarine, hazelnut and shades of sweetened gooseberry on the nose, with toasty brioche accents. The palate is dense and also very fresh, creating a mouth-watering acidity and excellent sense of length. Glorious now, watch this evolve over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘The Sorceress Reserve’ Grenache- The 2023 ‘The Sorceress Reserve’ comes from some of the great sites in the state including the famed WeatherEye Vineyard as well as Upland and Les Collines Vineyards. Stored in just a touch of new French oak, this was mainly whole-cluster fermented. It is dense and viscous on the mouth with terrific volume and underlying tension. A pretty melange of red currants, pomegranate seed, red cherry compote and wild strawberry greet you on the palate, with blood orange zest, wet stone and menthol accents. Complex and highly delicious, this is best enjoyed over the next ten years — and is totally irresistible in its heady youth. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘Levitation Reserve’ Syrah- The 2023 Sleight of Hand ‘Levitation Reserve’ Syrah is an ebullient bottling coming entirely from the famed Lewis Vineyard — a Columbia Valley site planted to a range of varietals, from Syrah and Chardonnay, set at 1270 feet. This bottling was aged in a combination of concrete tanks, neutral French oak and a touch of new French oak before bottling. It stands inky in the glass, showing its very classic purple flower character on the nose, with black Sharpie pen, smoked beef brisket, iodine and tar accents, alongside blackberry preserves. The palate is dense and heady, with no rough edges and lovely freshness. Enjoy this outstanding new Syrah over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2022 Sleight of Hand ‘Off He Goes’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘Off He Goes’ is a tribute to Walla Walla winemaker Erik Dunham, sourced from the Les Collines Vineyard which is set in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. The nose is utterly fabulous with crushed wet rock, Provencale herbs, white pepper dusted bacon and shades of creosote that all take shape in the glass. The palate is dense, viscous and heady with a silky texture and great sense of weight and finesse. Gorgeous to consume now, enjoy this brilliant, cooler vintage wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2022 Sleight of Hand ‘The Illusionist Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2022 Sleight of Hand ‘The Illusionist’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from several locations in the Columbia Valley and was stored in 55% new French oak barrels for 20 months prior to bottling. This is delightfully smooth, polished and viscous on the mouth with plenty of power and concentration. Black tea and exotic spices march on with blueberry compote and suggestions of espresso grounds on the palate. A joy to consume now, this has at least another fifteen years in front of it. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2022 Sleight of Hand ‘The Archimage Reserve’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘The Archimage Reserve’ is inspired by the wines of the Right Bank, utilizing near equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Wafts of red bell pepper combine with loamy soils, red currant jelly and suggestions of dark currants all mark the nose. The palate is lush and polished with a terrific mouthfeel and lovely salty nuances. Delicious now, enjoy over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 94
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘Badlands’ Syrah- The 2023 ‘Badlands’ Syrah is a limited production bottling that is now in its second edition and was sourced from this location in the cobblestone laden soils outside Milton-Freewater. Aged in all neutral oak for 20 months, this shows incredible aromatics of oyster sauce and Arabica bean alongside black raspberry, charcuterie and suggestions of Satsuma orange zest. The palate is lush and beautifully textured, with serious texture and great verve. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 95
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah- Another classy edition of this wine, the 2023 Sleight of Hand ‘The Psychedelic’ Syrah was sourced from the famed Stoney Vine Vineyard in the Walla Walla Rocks District. Stored for 16 months in natural oak, this opens with red raspberry and green olives alongside shades of white truffle shavings and wild herbs. The palate is both fresh and viscous with a fabulous texture and loads of mouth-watering acidity. This is made more akin to the ’22 bottling in terms of underlying finesse. Watch this beauty evolve over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 96
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘Spiders From Mars Ziggy Stardust Block’ Syrah- A stunning edition of this wine, the ‘Spiders From Mars’ comes from the ‘Ziggy Stardust Block’ which is a stony site set on broken basalt at the Elevation Vineyard. Stored in neutral oak barrels for 20 months, this exudes class with amazing aromatic range from smoked pork shoulder and pink peppercorn notes alongside red cherry starburst candy, kumquat zest and suggestions of potpourri. The palate is wonderfully fresh and stony, with bright acidity and a smooth mouthfeel. Generous and vibrant, its core of red and dark fruits with herbal and stony elements, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2023 Sleight of Hand ‘The Funkadelic’ Syrah- A stunning wine from this warmer vintage, the 2023 ‘The Funkadelic’ Syrah comes from ‘The Funk Vineyard’ in the Rocks District and was stored in neutral oak for 20 months prior to bottling. This shows outstanding flavor density and brilliant stony character. Hoisin sauce and violets mark the palate alongside chocolate cake, and shades of black licorice, with crushed wet rock. A glorious wine to consume now, enjoy over the next eight to ten years. But why wait? Drink 2025-2033- 96