YOUNGS MARKET® K Vintners – 6046322262175

Notes from the Winemaker:
A grown wine showing the vineyard and vintage in such a harmonious way. Purple fruit, mint, black olive and forest floor rest on a foundation of rock. Rich earth, full and compelling perfection.

2017 was a fantastic year for making wine with a cool spring and a fair amount of rain. Washington had an ideal spring for heathy vines. The moderate temperatures during summer were perfect for small clusters and yet delayed veraison into the fall where we had a consistent ripening season that allowed us to hang the fruit for perfect tannin and flavor without losing acidity or acquiring too much alcohol. Overall it was a vintage to remember.

Technical

Vineyard:
The vineyards we work with are farmed using the most up to date sustainable practices.
Upland Vineyard (100%): Located in the Snipes Mountain AVA in the heart of the Yakima Valley. With slopes facing in all four cardinal directions and an elevation that ranges from 750 to 1300 feet, Upland is some of the oldest and most diverse soils in the state – ancient, rocky soils mostly untouched by the Missoula Floods.

Production:
Yield: 2.3 tons per acre Yeast: native 100% whole cluster fermentation 49 days on skins 61% new French oak puncheons 22 months barrel-aged on lees

Wine Analysis:
5.5 g/L titratable acidity 3.98pH 14.0% alcohol. No residual sugar

97 Points – Jeb Dunnuck:
“From a site on Snipes Mountain composed of rocky, basalt soils (steep hillside slopes), the 2017 Syrah Cattle King is all Phelps clone that was not destemmed and was aged in 60% new oak. This deep ruby/plum-colored effort offers a complex bouquet of blackberries, mulberries, menthol, beef blood, and ground pepper. With a Cornas-like gaminess, medium to full body, and ripe, polished tannins, give it 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15 years.” – Jeb Dunnuck (4/15/2020)

95 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“Opening with an opulent frame displaying the entire spectrum of fruits from red to blue, the 2017 Syrah Cattle King offers a juicy density and aromas of crème de cassis, boysenberry, black pepper and chocolate. Full-bodied, the boisterous profile seems to go on forever with elements of dark cherry, blackberry and boysenberry essence tied to fine-grained tannins that weigh on the palate with a generous dollop of oak spices. The Cattle King shows power and finesse in a heavyweight frame and ends with a long, bold and chocolaty finish. This is delicious juice.” – Anthony Mueller (10th Dec 2020)

94 Points – James Suckling:
“Very ripe with blackberries and toffee. Caramel and brown sugar. Big wine. Full and flavorful. Drink now.” – (6 May, 2020)

93+ Points – Vinous:
“Dark red with ruby tones. Aromas of black raspberry, licorice and mocha. Dense, suave wine with terrific depth of texture to its flavors of black cherry, licorice and potpourri; still a bit reticent on the middle palate but nicely combines sneaky sweetness with a distinct savory character” – and not a bit herbaceous. This fine-grained, sophisticated Syrah finishes with smooth tannins and superb rising length. Incidentally, K Vintners did not make a Heart Syrah Stoneridge Vineyard, a Skull Syrah Stoneridge Vineyard, or an Old Bones Syrah Stoneridge Vineyard in 2017, and the winery has discontinued its Hustler Syrah. (from a warm, south-facing slope on uplifted cobblestones) ” – Stephen Tanzer (Dec 2020)