Gramercy Cellars Lagniappe Red Willow Syrah Columbia Valley 2019 (750ml)

Gramercy Cellars Lagniappe Red Willow Syrah Columbia Valley 2019 (750ml)Producer's Notes: In 2010, Greg was fortunate enough to sit on a Syrah seminar panel with Mike Sauer from Red Willow Vineyard. Afterward, Mike offered us an acre of Syrah. We were immediately smitten and now contract about 5 acres at Red Willow. Year in and out, no matter what the climate gives, the Sauer family farm the vineyard meticulously. We never worry about the quality of the fruit it's always stunning. We farm a few different blocks at Red

Producer's Notes:

In 2010, Greg was fortunate enough to sit on a Syrah seminar panel with Mike Sauer from Red Willow Vineyard. Afterward, Mike offered us an acre of Syrah. We were immediately smitten and now contract about 5 acres at Red Willow. Year in and out, no matter what the climate gives, the Sauer family farm the vineyard meticulously. We never worry about the quality of the fruit - it's always stunning. We farm a few different blocks at Red Willow for Syrah. The wine's basis is always the Chapel Block. This magic block brings deep red fruit, smoke, earth, pepper, and, most importantly, structure and intensity. The Marcoux block, across the property with a gentler slope, complements the steeper block by adding mid-palate and aromatic complexity. These are yin-yang blocks, each making the wine better. Since we started receiving Syrah from Red Willow, it immediately impacted the Lagniappe cuvée. From 2010 - 2015, however, we still considered ourselves a "blending house." After the 2015 vintage, we realized we had a few vineyards that demanded a single vineyard bottling. The 2016 Red Willow Lagniappe Syrah marked the first single-vineyard Red Willow bottling outside the MTA club wines. Each year, however, we still reserve the right to blend in a bit of another vineyard if it enhances the quality of the wine, as in 2018. In 2019, Red Willow showed all its glory and easily stands alone. The 2019 Lagniappe was fermented in concrete, 100% whole cluster with native yeasts. It was primarily aged in 2000-liter large Austrian oak cask and neutral French 500-liter puncheons for 19 months. One new 500-liter puncheon was used for about 6% new oak total. Tasting Notes: Classic Red Willow vintage. Blackberry compote, marionberry, and ripe black cherry accented with a hint of green herbal components. Sage, anise, and tarragon with a brambly forest floor character. Hints of seared meat waft in the background, rounding out the intensity of fruit up front. Full-bodied for us but by no means overripe. Bright acidity and round tannins that linger into a very long finish. This is a stunning version of Lagniappe that should evolve for 15+ years.