WTN: MilkDUDS

[Jenise]

So on Tuesday friends were coming over for a grilled lamb dinner. They love syrah and I decided to pamper them with a Christophe Baron (Cayuse) wine. When that didn't work out I opened another I'd loved two years ago which didn't show well, then another that had been a dud for me the week before and which I knew they had a bottle of too so it made sense for us all to figure this out together. All were in the neighborhood of $100 original price. All were undrinkable and got re-corked and set aside for retasting yesterday.

2014 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah The Tribe Vineyard Walla Walla Valley
Day one: meanest and greenest syrah I've ever tasted. Decanted four hours, no improvement, put the cork back. Day two: did not retaste. Day three: some sweet fruit is emerging though that green note hasn't entirely succombed. No brett-like funk as others have described, though, so I guess I must count my blessings. We'll drink it tonight but this sure isn't the experience one hopes for from this winemaker.

2010 Alleromb Winery Syrah Scarline Vineyard Columbia Valley
Day one: no sign of the luxury syrah I thought this was when I tasted one for the first time two years ago. Tight and green. Did not retaste on day two. Day three: more green notes than fruit. Drinkable, but it's hard work.

2012 Boudreaux Cellars Syrah Wallula Vineyard Horse Heaven Hills
Opened a bad bottle last week (oxidated fruit, ridiculous acidity), then discovered I had a second so decided to open that too and figure out what we've got here. Day one: no immediate oxidative notes like the first bottle, but pretty mean and green and that acidity's still ridiculous. Day two: did not retaste. Day three: oxidated (and still mean). I give up.

Wa wa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

[David M. Bueker]

It just sucks when that happens.

I opened an $80 Pinot Noir tonight. It smelled like a horse barn. Back to the cellar.

Gee, makes me glad our good old Eberle Syrah was OK. And still have more for tonight, maybe a bit for tomorrow.

[Jenise]

It just sucks when that happens.

I opened an $80 Pinot Noir tonight. It smelled like a horse barn. Back to the cellar.

You have my deepest sympathy.

[Jenise]

Gee, makes me glad our good old Eberle Syrah was OK. And still have more for tonight, maybe a bit for tomorrow.

I have no idea how you get one bottle to stretch that far.

Grapes harvested while physiologically immature even though the brix level tested high enough?

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Grapes harvested while physiologically immature even though the brix level tested high enough?

-Paul W.

Well, you'd think so, BUT: three different vintners, and three distinctly different vintages. '10 was a very structured vintage, '12 was riper/low acid, produced fat wines and '14 was a cool vintage but this is Horsepower by Christophe Baron (Cayuse) who knows more about syrah than anyone in this state. I've never run into this mean/green thing before, not in modern times anyway since canopy management methods have changed drastically (was a big problem with Washington reds in the early days), and that we found it here in one night with three very different wines? I just can't quite wrap my head around that.

My history with each: I bought the Alleromb site unseen, but thought it was amazing when I opened a bottle two years ago. The Boudreaux I tasted and loved at the winery, so bought some, and the Horsepower I picked up at auction because, well, Christophe Baron!