Isenhower Cellars River Beauty Syrah, Horse Heaven Hill, USA

艾森豪爾河美人西拉干紅葡萄酒

點擊次數(shù)：4173

Another perfumed, elegant beauty, the 2014 Syrah River Beauty (100% Syrah) offers loads of blueberry, lavender, spice and floral notes in its complex, nuanced and layered personality. It has tons of class and should impress for at least 7-8 years.

The star of the show is the 2013 Syrah River Beauty, which was mostly destemmed (25% whole clusters), and saw a native fermentation and aging in 30% new French oak. Its pretty bouquet of spring flowers, crushed berries, caramelized meats and olives is followed by a fresh, beautifully balanced Syrah that has good concentration, a seamless texture and impeccable balance. It’s already hard to resist, yet will keep through 2023.

The 2012 Syrah River Beauty is a serious effort that offers up beautiful blackberry, blueberry, ground pepper, hints of black herbs and chocolate to go with medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Seamless, elegant, and with fabulous purity, it’s a rocking Syrah to drink over the coming decade or more. Tel. (509) 526-7896; www.isenhowercellars.com

Sourced from Elerding Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills, Isenhower’s 2008 Syrah River Beauty features cooked blackberry and cherry with a hint of tar on the nose as well as on a dense, chewy, slightly stewed and diffuse palate. Suggestions of salt, pepper, mint, and tar inform a finish of considerable sheer persistence but not much juicy fruit character. Still, this is impressive for its aromatic intensity and palate density. I’m skeptical of holding onto it for more than a couple of years. Midwesterners Brett and Denise Isenhower opened their Walla Walla winery just over a dozen years ago, and following early and widespread recognition, they planted their first estate vines in 2008 with designs on eventually growing about half of their fruit. Their diverse offerings typically run to 2,000-4,000 bottles each. Tel. (509) 526-7896

The 2007 River Beauty Syrah (100%) was sourced from the Elderding Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It is a glass-coating opaque purple color with an inviting nose of smoke, pepper, game, bacon, lavender, and blueberry. Rich and plush on the palate, it has plenty of layered fruit, spicy flavors, and a lengthy, pure finish. Drink this pleasure-bent effort over the next 8 years. Brett and Denise Isenhower began their Walla Walla-based winery in 1999. Their response to recessionary times has been to cut production and move primarily to direct sales. As a result, they have established a tasting room in Woodinville (where the customers are located). Tel. (509) 526-7896; www.isenhowercellars.com