A lush and fragrant nose of blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant and anise. Full-bodied and delightfully intense. The soft tannins are coated with dark fruit, nutmeg and paprika adding delicious complexity. So, so concentrated. Melted dark chocolate. Totally delicious. Drinking well now, but a great choice for aging. Drink or hold.

Another Syrah from this site in Walla Walla, the dense purple/ruby 2018 Syrah Powerline Vineyard offers up a classic nose of spiced red and black fruits, cured meats, peppery herbs, lavender, and truffle. This carries to a rich, medium to full-bodied Syrah with terrific tannins as well as balance. It already offers considerable pleasure yet is going to have a solid 10-15 years of longevity.

Made entirely from Phelps clone Syrah, the 2018 Syrah Powerline was aged for 24 months in 35% new French oak prior to bottling. It has a very Côte-Rôtie bull’s-blood character alongside iodine and volcanic ash on the nose. The palate is plush with a seamless texture and wonderful length. A very pretty core of dark fruits mingles with shades of creosote, Earl Grey tea and suggestions of orange zest. The flavor and aromatic range here are outstanding, and this brilliant wine isn’t going anywhere for another 10 years. -- Owen Bargreen