2018 Charles Smith (K Vintners) ‘Rock Garden’ Walla Walla Valley Syrah

JD93+ Coming from a great site in the Rocks District of Walla Walla, the 2018 Syrah Rockgarden Vineyard has an incredibly smoky, meaty nose that carries lots of red and black fruits, notes of charcoal and graphite, medium-bodied richness, and a balanced, slightly more narrow, firm style that will hopefully open up with 2-3 years of bottle age. It’s another wine that’s not up to prior vintages yet still brings lots of character and is unquestionably an outstanding wine.
Estate Notes: Black plum, Asian five spice, warm turned river stone and taut with tension. Seamless Syrah that persists with black olive, high-polished black shoe leather and beef jerky that keeps going and never gives in. 100% Syrah / 100% whole cluster fermentation / Native yeast / 45 days on skins / 38% new French oak puncheons / 20 mo. barrel-aged on lees (2017: JD96)