Idiot’s Grace and Hannah’s Bench estate vineyards; planted 2003-2008; Columbia Gorge AVA; grown in loamy sand (Mosier) and flood deposits & basalt colluvium (Lyle); 220 cases produced; brought up in veteran barrels; 14.4% ABV.
Sometimes, the assembling of a blended wine can be a somewhat simple, additive process, in which the components “stack” and constructively augment each other. The 2019 Syrah/Grenache is (as always) an example of a more complete union: here, the profiles of the individual grapes are nearly lost as the components instead interpenetrate and surrender to the whole. The Lyle Grenache brings density and darkness, while the airier Mosier Syrah provides lift and the impression of sweetness. These grapes are, like our franc, farmed without supplemental irrigation— but here this potential was revealed to us, not built in.
