2018 La Serenne
Syrah
Regular price $72.00La Serenne is a superlative example of the ability of Syrah to express itself so distinctly and specifically in one site. It comes from Boushey Vineyard, the highest altitude and latest harvested of the four Syrahs we make. It was planted using cuttings from Red Willow Vineyard, which makes up another of our Syrahs, La Côte Patriarche. We’ve walked these rows with Dick Boushey for almost 20 years now and still are taken aback by the wild, seductive wine that emerges from each vintage.
Wine Specifications
- Vintage: 2018
- Varietal: Syrah
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging: 70% Whole Cluster Inclusion
- Bottling date: June 2020
- Alcohol: 13.9%
- Region: Washington
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Tasting Notes
The 2018 La Serenne shines from the moment it’s poured with dark, glass-coating, black-purple color. The aromatics show the characteristic Boushey “wildness”: smoked meat, lavender, fennel, white pepper, and tarragon swirl along with inky blueberry, marionberry, and cacao nibs. The palate is rich and vibrant adding cracked espresso bean, clove, and dusty mineral tone. The polished tannic backbone indicates long cellar life, at least 15-20 years…if you can manage to resist it now.
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Winemaker notes
The 2018 Syrah La Côte Rousse is our second vintage to be “co-fermented” with a small amount of Viognier (6%), a technique used in the Old World to bring aromatic lift and paradoxically vibrant color. Deep, dark purple leads out to brilliant magenta highlights at the edge of the glass. The aromas are intense and exotic; black and red raspberries, apricot and passion fruit nimbly dance with graphite, sandalwood, chamomile, and rose petal. The palate brings intense graphite and dark chocolate with boysenberry and sesame fleshing things out. The finish is lengthy with broad mineral tones and surprising delicacy. We’ve seen La Côte Rousse gain increasing precision and finesse over the last few years and 2018 is no exception. It’s a star of the vintage and will reward short-term cellaring.
