K Syrah Syrah
Sunday, March 8th, 2009The other night a friend brought over a bottle of 2002 K Vintners Morrison Lane Syrah to have with dinner. We were making dinner at home, and I had simply asked that they bring some beverage. What a treat; the ‘02 is drinking beautifully right now. Couldn’t have asked for more to go with the savory crepes we ate: spinach, blue cheese, anjou pear and walnuts; arugula, pine nuts, asiago; tomato, mozzarella, shallots… the combinations continued. (Vegetarian menu.)
But le vin, oh, le vin. Depth of color and flavor. It could nearly have been a meal in itself.
Dark berries, pepper, a bit of game. Blueberry, tobacco (not necessarily blueberry tobacco), leather, and a slight grittiness that kept me paying attention. Not for the faint of heart, this wine aims to impress.
Thankfully, in a proper throwback to days of wandering the streets of Paris, we ended the evening with banana and Nutella crepes and washed it all down with another round of drinks.
The ‘02 Morrison Lane is tough to find these days, but subsequent vintages are faring well. And from our shelves, I highly recommend the ‘05 Cougar Hills with it’s unique, enticing palate and rich mouthfeel. For those of you score mongers, Wine Enthusiast gave it a 93.
But for those of you more interested in Morrison Lane Vineyard and its production, there’s an article on Morrison Lane from Paul Gregutt dating back to 2006. He’s profiling the winery, but his discussion of the vineyard sheds some light on what makes the K Vintners Morrison Lane worth trying.
Robert Parker has a few thoughts to share on K Vintners too. Check out the article from Business Week, “K Vintners: Washington State Superstar” published last August. He hands out a 92 to the Cougar Hills.
“The 2005 Syrah Cougar Hills is restrained aromatically with an elegant personality. Concentrated, ripe, and round, the flavors are already exhibiting complexity, and the finish is very long. Allow for another three to four years in the cellar and drink it through 2020.”
Still wondering if you should try it? Come on. Just a little swirl and sip.
