2013 Charles Smith K Vintners Milbrandt-Wahluke Slope Syrah

K Vintners is located in Walla Walla, in the heart of Washington State's wine country. Though the property was homesteaded as a farm in 1853, it became a winery only in 2001 when Charles Smith purchased the property and started making wine. Smith, a California native, had previously had worked as a manager for a rock band in Copenhagen. Smith taught himself winemaking and his Syrahs have attained something of a cult status. In 2009 Food & Wine Magazine named Smith American Winemaker of the Year. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that "Charles continues to make some of Washington's finest wines....Charles knows where to find the great grapes...Almost all his wines are sourced from single vineyards." The winery also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Viognier.

Columbia Valley AVA is larger than some states. At 18,000 square miles, or 11 million acres, the appellation covers almost half of Washington State and a small part of Oregon on the south side of the Columbia River. Established in 1984, Columbia Valley contains numerous sub appellations within its boundaries, including Yakima Valley AVA and Walla Walla AVA, both large and important wine districts. Columbia Valley AVA, generally called the Columbia Basin by Pacific Northwesterners, is in the Columbia River Plateau, and the AVA also includes a section of northeastern Oregon. There are dozens of microclimates within this appellation of about 7,000 vineyard acres. Many kinds of grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley, though the principal grapes planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Eastern Washington experiences very hot summers and cold winters, and the northern latitude means that Washington vineyards receive several more hours of sun in the summer than California vineyards. Grapes in Washington therefore have time to develop significant tannins and overall ripeness.

This grape is grown in milder climates and produces a medium-to full-bodied wine. It is also known as Shiraz, but should not be confused with Petit Sirah, which was developed by crossing Syrah with Peloursin.