2021 Delmas ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah Walla Walla Valley

VIN97 The 2021 Syrah SJR Vineyard is gorgeous— basically, everything that I had hoped for since tasting it from barrel. Smoky, savory and intense, it bursts from the glass with a blend of black olives, sage, air-dried meats, wild blackberries and violet florals. This sweeps across the palate, silky-smooth yet racy and energetic, with depths of wild berry fruit o!set by hints of citrus and salty minerality. The 2021 maintains exceptional freshness while remaining long and potent, with a staining of licorice and a sensation of liquid stone that lingers on and on. What a beauty. Readers should be aware that production was down by 50% due to the extreme warmth of the vintage. The SJR is a co-fermented blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, produced using about 50% whole-cluster fruit. Simply put, this is spellbinding.
JD97 A co-ferment of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, the 2021 Syrah SJR Vineyard was fermented with 50-60% whole clusters and spent 14 months mostly in puncheons, 50% being new. Sporting a deep ruby/plum hue, it offers up a serious bouquet of mulled red and black fruits, smoked meats, iron, and savory, peppery, gamey notes. This carries to a full-bodied Syrah with a gorgeous mid-palate, a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ample tannins, and a great finish. It’s the most concentrated Syrah I’ve tasted from this estate, and it deserves 3-4 years of bottle age and will have 15+ of overall longevity.
OB97 The stunning 2021 Delmas ‘SJR Vineyard’ Syrah is another sensational effort from this famed outpost in the Walla Walla Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Coming from this site that is set on large cobblestones. Umami, green olive tapenade and Hoisin sauce as well as Asian spices mark the nose alongside boysenberry and tar notes. This shows a fantastic underlying finesse with a silky smooth mouthfeel and loads of depth, concentration and mouth-watering acidity. Finishing extremely long, this just might be the best Delmas Syrah ever made. Drink 2023-2032-