Washington's Syrah

The last time I wrote about Washington, I concluded that it was best for the state's winemakers to focus on the many varied AVAs to promote their wines rather than seeking a signature grape variety. I still think that's true; from cool, wet Columbia Gorge, to small, warm, and extraordinarily high quality Red Mountain, to the geologically distinct Rocks District, Washington - and Oregon, which shares some of the AVAs - offer a diverse range of climates, soils, and geography to produce wines that reflect, often wonderfully, their location. Trying to focus solely on one variety as an expression of Washington takes away from that local sense of place.

Having said that, there is one grape variety which distinguishes Washington from other winemaking regions in the US and which may help concentrate drinkers' opinion of the wines. Syrah is grown in California, but it is not a grape that winemakers have taken to and nor have consumers. Cooler Sonoma Coast has the potential to produce peppery Syrah, but these are still hard to find. Even Paso Robles, which excels in Rhône blends, takes better to Grenache and Mourvèdre than it does to Syrah, which I find is often best as part of a blend (as in the southern Rhône, where on its own it can become too chocolatey). This lack of competition gives Washington an opportunity to stake its claim as the US's premium Syrah producer.

I just attended a tasting of Washington wine in San Francisco, which confirmed just how exciting and appealing the wines are overall. The Cabernet Sauvignons are lighter and less aggressive than Napa's; the Viogniers are attractive and maintain their acidity; but it was the Syrahs that really stood out, particularly from Walla Walla and its sub-AVA The Rocks District, but also from Red Mountain. What I particularly liked about the range of Syrahs I tried was the variety, from spicy to fruity to tannic, sometimes immediate and fresh, other times closed and demanding further time in the bottle. This in part depends on the ambitions of the winery, but it's also about location. The Rocks District produces complex, structured, individual wines, with restrained fruit and a herbal, spicy backdrop; the surrounding Walla Walla AVA wines are a little more forward; while Red Mountain's wines have wonderful concentration, with a floral, perfumed nose coming from the higher slopes.

standout wines

Betz Family Boushey Vineyard La Serenne Syrah 2013 ($55)

Grower Dick Boushey was one of the first to plant Syrah in Washington; Washington writer Paul Gregutt describes the Syrah wines from the Yakima vineyard as having "a compelling underlayer of game, toasted almond, herb and earth that is distinctive and unique." This Syrah is a perfect example of that description, with pepper, nuts, chocolate, red and black fruits, and slightly dusty tannins. ✪✪✪✪✪✪

Buty Rockgarden Estate Redivivia of the Stones 2012 ($60)

An unusual wine, in that it's blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. There's also no new oak used to age the wine, showing that Syrah from The Rocks District is capable of expressing its own qualities without the addition of oak flavours. An attractive floral nose, with blackberries, and ripe tannins, and a dark, smoky intensity coming from the other two grapes in the blend. ✪✪✪✪✪

Force Majeure Syrah 2013 ($70)

This may be my favourite Washington producer at the moment: a gorgeous Viognier and a supple Cabernet come from their vineyards on Red Mountain, as well as their stunning Syrah. The vines are planted on steep slopes on the top of the mountain, retaining acidity and producing ripe but complex fruit. It's a vibrant, compelling wine that's only going to get better and better with time, as its drying tannins soften to reveal attractive, integrated black fruits.  ✪✪✪✪✪✪

Reynvaan In the Hills Syrah 2014 ($70)

Another young winery - founded in just 2008 - this wine was a revelation. Very herbal, with pronounced tarragon aromas, and peppery, with ripe black fruits. Extremely attractive right now at a young age, it has enough acidity, tannin, and fruit to develop over a long period. ✪✪✪✪✪✪

There are plenty of great wines being made from other varieties - Cabernet Franc (Andrew Will's Champoux Vineyard Bordeaux Blend 2011 is 64% and irresistible), Grenache (Brady Cellars' 2013 has characteristic liquorice, raspberry qualities), and Rhône blends (Avennia's Justine is spicy and gripping) - but Syrah perhaps demonstrates most consistently the best of what Washington has to offer: attractive but not overripe fruits, with firm, gripping, structured tannins, and an invigorating acidity, all representing the particular area the wine comes from.