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2017 Gramercy Cellars John Lewis Syrah, 1.5ltr

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

March 24, 2024 - $86

Estimate

RATINGS

96+ The Wine Advocate

...subtle tsunami of flavors, starting with a delicate stemmy note, compounded by black pepper essence, spiced cherry and plum compote before wafting with aromas of dusty black raspberries with sprinkles of cinnamon and baking spices. Medium-bodied, the wine explodes in a kaleidoscope of red-fruited flavors with a spicy, mineral tension... Flavors of black pepper and raspberry crème brûlée finish in waves of elegance on the long, lingering finish.

92Stephen Tanzer

Complex, varietally expressive aromas of raspberry, spices, peppery herbs, licorice and olive tapenade. Very concentrated, dense and fine-grained, with its dark berry, floral and herbal flavors energized by a black-peppery high note. This suave wine mounts slowly and expands on the back end, finishing with smooth tannins but also pungent peppery lift.

92Wine Enthusiast

...aromas bring notes of peat, dried stem and moist soil...elegant, textured smoked meat flavors meanwhile are all about grace and precision...lingering finish follows.

92Jeb Dunnuck

...complex notes of mulberries, blackberries, ground pepper, stems, spring flowers, and hints of chocolate. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, with bright acidity and a more streamlined texture...

16.5Jancis Robinson

...slightly lactic and violet with a hint of gravelly graphite. Attractive bright palate with good freshness and soft and rounded tannins, the acidity just stands apart a little here at the top of the mouth.

PRODUCER

Gramercy Cellars

Gramercy Cellars was founded in 2005 by Greg Harrington, a Master Sommelier, and his wife Pam Harrington, an investment banker. Greg Harrington spent his early career running the wine programs for some of the nation’s most legendary chefs, including Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Stephen Hanson. In 2004 he and his wife, then residents of Brooklyn, became intrigued with Walla Walla wines. A year later they were proprietors of Gramercy Cellars, which is dedicated to making Bordeaux and Rhone-style wines. The estate makes 8,000 cases annually with grapes from the Walla Walla and Columbia Valleys. Wine writers have been impressed. Wine Advocated wrote that “Master Sommelier turned winemaker Greg Harrington is fashioning some of the top wines in Washington from his base in Walla Walla.”

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.