cayuse and northern rhones

[Brian C]

Recently placed a bottle of 2005 Cayuse "cailloux" syrah in a northern rhone tasting.
Now, I live in Washington, and I so desperately want something winewise to get behind in this state. Really.really.badly.
This showed beautifully. Highish alcohol and full bodied its true but not at all flamboyant. What struck me most was how wonderfully alive and vibrant it came accross. Full of green olives, meatiness, pickling spice, and wild herbs. From biodynamic vineyards planted in solid stone ala CdP. I'd be surprised if it was yeasted. WA Jay Miller famously advised that these would be showing best in 40 years. At a pH well above 4 I'll be sure to send him any that go missing in my cellar until 2045. I wouldn't hold past 5-8 yrs personally, and 8 might be pushing it.

It bested everything else present but a knockout 2004 P. Faury St Joseph VV. This wine was straight gorgeous, lean(in a good way), elegant, lively, full of garrigue, just the right touch of brett, olives, rugged stoney loveliness.

I'm still undecided as to whether Cayuse is great wine in a global context but in WA it seems head and shoulders above the pack. That it was shown up by a wine almost 1/3 the price is worth noting though.
Curoius what others think of Cayuse.

 

[Florida Jim]

Brian,
'Never had one - want to.
An old friend wrote about this producer years ago and generally sang praises. I have been tracking them since, on the boards and among friends who try them - your ambivilence is not unique.
Maybe one of these days, but your comments about alcohol level and pH are difficult to reconcile with what I consider "greatness."
Best, Jim

 

[SFJoe]

pH above 4!

Noodle bless them, they sure don't acidify.

That is dangerous microbiological territory, though.

Not to mention flavor territory.

I wonder how they get there? Potassium? The dread "phenolic ripeness"?

 

[Andrew Gold]

It's nice to see a thread about a well hyped domestic producer, a nice change of pace.

I enjoy the Cayuse wines, though if I'm honest think the bulk of them in my cellar came from the chance to purchase more than the real desire.

The newest release is on shelves around Portland right now, with prices around 75 a pop for the basic syrahs (all that's distributed). This go around I'll be passing on the chances to purchase, instead buying the wonderful 06 cote roties also on the shelves.

I guess I see cayuse as a good wine that has been way over hyped. At some point in the past it was probably worth the money, though the premium has priced it outside of my desire. My only hope is the mixed 6-8 bottles I have collecting dust hold together well enough to be enjoyable when I open them. The idea of the 40 year drinking window confirms how obsolete the WA strikes me.