Having always wanted to make a syrah, especially with a viognier co-ferment, I jumped at the chance to work with grapes from the famous Destiny Ridge Vineyard in Washington’s Horse Heaven Hills in 2013. The moderate growing season worked beautifully with my philosophy of freshness and acidity over ripeness and high alcohol. Several tons arrived at the winery along with a few hundred pounds of beautifully ripe viognier. About one quarter of the syrah was left with its stems while the rest was destemmed, with the viognier left on top. After a five day cold soak the wine began fermenting before being pressed to neutral French Oak barrels where it rested for 17 months. I felt that my traditional 10-12 month aging program hadn’t done enough to tame the tannins so I extended the barrel regimen for a bit longer. After tasting the results, I think that it worked, as the wine showcases bright fruit and wonderful aromatics while still holding true to Washington syrah, with its firm structure. At five barrels this is the single largest production I’ve done and I am thrilled to share it with everyone.