K Vintners The Beautiful Syrah 2020
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James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
Absolutely stunning, generous, graceful and dynamic. Notes of black cherry, blueberry, grapefruit peel, and black olive pulls you deeper, accented by deep dark rose, dried herbs and black tea with a touch of crushed stone.
Blend: 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows earthy character, with ground spices, black pepper, plum pith and cocoa-dusted dark cherries. So broad and velvety, but at the same time fresh and fleshy, with full body and layers of polished, chalky tannins. Lingering and smooth. Co-fermented with 4% viognier in concrete vats.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The ruby-hued 2020 Syrah The Beautiful is another perfumed, pretty, beautifully balanced 2020 from this team. Black cherries, mulled strawberries, ground pepper, rose petals, and smoked meats define the bulk of the aromas, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has fine tannins, and a great finish. It picks up a classic Syrah bloody, gamey character with time in the glass and is going to drink brilliantly over the coming 10-12 years. This comes all from the Powerline Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley and was co-fermented with 4% Viognier, not destemmed, and aged in 40% new French oak.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Co-fermented with 4% of Viognier, the 2020 Syrah The Beautiful is marked with a classic Walla Walla mineral essence and open-knit expression that offers delightful spicy aromas that merge with floral and potpourri elements. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is spicy, elegant and fresh, with hints of iodine and brown baking spices before ending with a lingering and spicy finish. This fantastic, food-friendly wine is set to be released in September of 2023. Yum!
Other Vintages
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Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla Washington, K Vintners opened its doors to the public on December 3rd, 2001. The property at 820 Mill Creek Road where the winery sits was homesteaded in 1853 with the adjacent farmhouse built in 1872. The winery grounds with Titus Creek flowing through the lawn and the old pioneer planted trees, is a little slice of heartland Americana. The Winemaker: He loves to drink wine! Charles Smith, proprietor and winemaker, comes to Walla Walla after 11 years in Scandanavia. Originally from northern California, he has been involved with wine personally and professionally his whole life. And did we forget to mention... he loves to drink wine! The Vineyards: K Vintners is producing wines from 2 distinctive viticultural zones: Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Each of these areas are unique and awesome for Syrah and the Field Blends produced. In April '02 two seperate blocks of vineyards were planted to Syrah adjacent to the winery in the rocky dry creek beds that run through K Vintners property.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.