2011 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah

Alas, Washington Wine Month is quickly winding down and it seems like I've hardly had time for a single glass much less many blog posts!  Well my travel schedule at work is winding down (at least until next month), so perhaps I'll have some time to do some nice posts this week, as heaven know's I have plenty of Washington wine to open!  Tonight's bottle is the 2011 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah, a lovely offering from the Columbia Valley that I found at my local wine merchant yesterday.

The wine is a lovely, inky indigo in the glass with rich brooding darkness that makes me recall the wonderful angst ridden culture of the Northwest back in the glory days of Grunge, but I digress.  The nose is beautifully fruity, with hints of warm berries, leather and smoke.  The taste is just divine, with an explosion of very bright fruit, blackberries, cherries and currant that subsides almost as quickly as it came, transitioning to some spicy notes of black pepper and toasted oak.  The finish is lovely, as the young tannins hold a firm grip on the long, smooth, dry finish that makes you want to sip this wine all afternoon.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's one of my favorite Syrah's I've tried from the Northwest, and I picked it up here in Indiana for only $29, so not wildly expensive.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my delayed traditional St. Patrick's day dinner of corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and carrots, as the lovely fruit of this wine makes a perfect contrast to a salt and fat laden dinner!  Cheers!