2000 La Côte Rousse, Syrah

Sorry about the potential confusion, but this is from the same vineyard as last year's Syrah La Serenne. We changed the name as we thought this French term better described its origin, to say nothing of having some fun with French wine lore.

In the famed Syrah appellation of Côte Rôtie in France's Northern Rhone there are two vineyards whose legend has them named for a long ago vineyardist's daughters, La Côte Brune (the brunette) and La Côte Blonde (the blond). Our wine, from a vineyard on Red Mountain, is La Côte Rousse (the redhead), also a French expression for the Red Slope.

Scott Williams, of Kiona Vineyards fame, grows these grapes for us on one of the highest sites on Red Mountain. The vineyard's weak soil and southwestern facing slope combine to make this an outstanding vineyard for powerful, broadly flavored Syrah. Plenty of black fruit, spice and depth make this wine immediately appealing.

100% Syrah from Red Mountain, Williams/Kiona Vineyard
125 cases produced, bottled December 2001