2017 Stolen Horse Syrah

Happy Wine Wednesday!  This week has gone by fast, but at least there are often new wine club shipments to enjoy mid-week, as I am doing tonight.  I received two wines in my fall shipment from the Bledsoe Family Winery, the 2017 Flying B Cabernet Sauvignon and tonight's wine, the 2017 Stolen Horse Syrah.  This wine is made from Syrah (96%) co-fermented with Viognier (4%) from the Lefore and Kenny Hill Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington.  So let's see how this wine is shaping up.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, a bit darker than you might expect from a Syrah.  The nose is chock full of sweet berry fruit, cherry, raspberry and marionberry with floral notes lingering over the top.  The taste is at first cool, with blueberry and cherry up front that gives way to some warm spice notes and earthy minerality that is characteristic of the Rocks District.  The tannins are chewy, creating some nice textural balance to the fruit and sets up perfectly for the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a bit of a departure from previous vintages, with a more pronounced expression of Rocks fruit.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, which shouldn't be a surprise as I find Syrah to be a very food friendly varietal.  I could easily enjoy this wine with steaks, chops, stews, salmon or pasta among other dishes, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with some barbecued beef ribs along with some oven roasted root vegetables and steamed baby Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!