Lewis and Clark - Syrah 2018 | Monsieur Touton Selection

Tasting notes

Produced from 100% Syrah this silky wine shows aromas of blackberry and violet. The palate is fruit-forward with flavors of cherry and peppery hints. The finish is well-structured and long. The perfect pairing for steak, sausage, mushrooms and hamburgers.

Appellation

McNary Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills: Located in the Southeast corner of the Horse Heaven Hills is a cooler site as compared to the typically warm Horse Heaven Hills standards. Initially, the vineyard was planted in 2012 with subsequent plantings through 2017. Situated on the Columbia River, this site sits in sandy soils on a basalt cliff overlooking the McNary dam.

The Columbia Valley AVA was established in 1984 and is Washington State's largest wine growing area covering almost 9 million acres, equivalent to a full third of Washington's land mass. The vineyards are cultivated on predominantly south-facing slopes to maximize the exposure to sunlight and to encourage drainage during the winter. Recently, Columbia Valley has been recognized by the global wine community as one of the primary New World viticultural regions in the USA.

History

The Lewis & Clark Expedition (May 1804 - September 1806) was the first American undertaking to cross the western section of the United States. It began near St. Louis and continued westward, through the continental divide to reach the Pacific Coast. The expedition consisted of a select group of US Army volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark.

In October 1805 the Expedition crossed into what is now the modern State of Washington, and traveled down the meandering Columbia River which, at that time was laden with rapids and other challenging obstacles. After traveling through the lower Columbia Valley, the explorers crossed into Oregon on March 1806 and continued their expedition towards the Pacific Ocean.

Vinification

After pressing, the must is cold-soaked at 62° F for 1.5 days. Vinification is performed in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Micro-oxygenated on light fermentation lees and aged in French and American oak barrels.

Weather

The winter was cold with an abundance of snow. In the spring, there was high soil moisture from the snowy winter, with plenty of rain, and temperatures 1-5° F below normal. In the summer, hot temperatures were moderated by blanket of smoke from British Columbia fires. In the fall, there was a perfect harvest condition with little rain. McNary Fruit was harvested before the freeze.

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