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2019 Horsepower Vineyards The Tribe Vineyard Syrah

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

November 17, 2024 - $73

Estimate

RATINGS

97The Wine Advocate

...starts with a stemmy, fresh and savory nose with a delightful meaty aroma and dusty florals before wafting with a succulent raspberry skin essence. Medium to full-bodied, the Syrah displays a vibrant mineral tension and spicy mouthfeel before subtle flavors of dried herbs sway with a firm tannic structure. The wine continues to evolve and unpack over the long, lingering finish with a pleasing smoky nuance and persistent peppery note.

96Wine Spectator

...distinctive black olive and cured meat tones, which are accented with floral blueberry, garrigue and crushed stone flavors. Builds tension and richness toward medium-grained tannins.

96Jeb Dunnuck

...perfumed and floral, with some pretty red and black fruits as well as white pepper, violets, orange blossom, and more subtle iron and meaty nuances... Gorgeous on the palate, with medium to full-bodied richness and wonderfully integrated acidity and tannins...

95James Suckling

Wild berries, hot stones and fresh herbs on the nose. Full-bodied with distinct dark-mineral character. Silky tannins. Earthy and complex. Leather, tobacco, walnut and charcoal. Dense and deep, but elegant all the same.

PRODUCER

Horsepower Vineyards

Horsepower is an offshoot of Cayuse, the Walla Walla domaine founded by Christophe Baron, a French vigneron who has been making highly-acclaimed Rhone-style wines in Walla Walla Valley since the 1990s. The name Horsepower is not metaphorical. Starting in 2008 Baron began farming several acres of his estate using Belgian draft horses rather than tractors. Baron descends from a long line of French vignerons, and from the beginning he has farmed his Walla Walla vineyards bio dynamically. He took his interest in traditional French vineyard management a step further when he brought in his first draft horse, Zeppo. In 2009 he added a second horse, Red. With custom made cultivation equipment the horses can navigate tightly-spaced vineyards that harken back to planting systems of 19th century French vineyards. Horsepower owns four vineyards which are planted, with Rhone varietals. Horsepower wines have been very well reviewed.

REGION

United States, Washington, Walla Walla Valley

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

TYPE

Red Wine, Syrah (Shiraz)

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.