Guardian Cellars
The Informant Wahluke Slope Syrah Blend
Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
Bought at winery, 300 cases made, my last bottle. I’ve loved this wine, I’ve struggled with this wine. Love the Syrah component, struggled with the 3% Viognier addition. Is this wine too floral? Final verdict: no. How good is this wine? Purple-red in color, medium extraction, very good clarity. Leather and cherry fruit leather notes in nose, buttery floral aftertaste; later white pepper flavor emerges. Medium seed bitterness, moderate skin astringency. Can still age this one, frankly, as the tannins and acids are there. A tasty but challenging flavor profile, and a well-made wine, but not for everyone
Bought at winery, 300 cases made, my last bottle. I’ve loved this wine, I’ve struggled with this wine. Love the Syrah component, struggled with the 3% Viognier addition. Is this wine too floral? Final verdict: no. How good is this wine? Purple-red in color, medium extraction, very good clarity. Leather and cherry fruit leather notes in nose, buttery floral aftertaste; later white pepper flavor emerges. Medium seed bitterness, moderate skin astringency. Can still age this one, frankly, as the tannins and acids are there. A tasty but challenging flavor profile, and a well-made wine, but not for everyone
Oct 13th, 2018Third tasting, four months since second. Bought at tasting room. Dense purple in color. Funk, floral and black pepper notes in nose. Raspberry, cassis, floral and spearmint in mouth. Seed tannin and black pepper on finish, with chewy skin tannin astringency. It doesn't take much Viognier added to make this a more drinkable, approachable red wine, esp. when young and just released, but after several tastings and some aging I'm not convinced this 3% addition improves the wine. I can taste the Viognier separate from the Syrah and I'm not getting synthesis (synthesia). It's a good quaff, but I'm not convinced it's a good wine, or a good pair of varietals to blend here in WA state. Still, as a wine drinker this wine challenged me to rethink what I like in a good red wine, and why. I like it, but I also understand now why I don't love it. A noble and well intentioned miss, but highly drinkable
Third tasting, four months since second. Bought at tasting room. Dense purple in color. Funk, floral and black pepper notes in nose. Raspberry, cassis, floral and spearmint in mouth. Seed tannin and black pepper on finish, with chewy skin tannin astringency. It doesn't take much Viognier added to make this a more drinkable, approachable red wine, esp. when young and just released, but after several tastings and some aging I'm not convinced this 3% addition improves the wine. I can taste the Viognier separate from the Syrah and I'm not getting synthesis (synthesia). It's a good quaff, but I'm not convinced it's a good wine, or a good pair of varietals to blend here in WA state. Still, as a wine drinker this wine challenged me to rethink what I like in a good red wine, and why. I like it, but I also understand now why I don't love it. A noble and well intentioned miss, but highly drinkable
Feb 8th, 201897% Syrah, 3% Viognier blend, aged 17 months 50% new French oak, 300 cases made. Dense purple. Good blend of wood, barrel smoke, cassis and red fruit notes in nose. Red fruit (raspberry cherry) and charcoal-flint notes in mouth, fine grain seed tannins, floral and citrus finish (with time, spearmint and black pepper) with slight tongue puckering from tannins. I prefer less wood but thought this was well made, fruit should last two or three years more. Balanced flavor profile, fun wine
97% Syrah, 3% Viognier blend, aged 17 months 50% new French oak, 300 cases made. Dense purple. Good blend of wood, barrel smoke, cassis and red fruit notes in nose. Red fruit (raspberry cherry) and charcoal-flint notes in mouth, fine grain seed tannins, floral and citrus finish (with time, spearmint and black pepper) with slight tongue puckering from tannins. I prefer less wood but thought this was well made, fruit should last two or three years more. Balanced flavor profile, fun wine
Oct 26th, 2017Ripe black fruits mixed with juicy blueberries. Very fruit forward. Somewhat abrupt finish.
Ripe black fruits mixed with juicy blueberries. Very fruit forward. Somewhat abrupt finish.
May 2nd, 2016