Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 The Beautiful Syrah
Score: 95
Region: Walla Walla Valley
This is only the second time that winemaker Charles Smith has made a wine called 'The Beautiful' and it lives up to its name and reputation. The aromas shoot from the glass; young, herbal and strikingly peppery. This shows a complexity that is rare outside of France. The flavors run through the entire length of the palate, a fascinating mix of herb, leaf, earth, and tightly wound berry fruit. It's young and crunchy, thought not fleshy, a wine that is a unique combination of masculine and feminine qualities. It should age well for at least a decade.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 Cougar Hills Syrah
Score: 93
Region: Walla Walla Valley
The Cougar Hills, which is usually blended with components that are now in 'The Beautiful,' is striking on its own. It's a dark, meaty, sappy wine, supple and saturated with gorgeous color and sensuous fruit. The spices are chromatic, not simple, and the flavors include charcuterie, wild cherry, smoke, pepper and green tea. The palate is seamless and tightly wrapped, gently unfolding to reveal a lingering finish with the promise of a long cellar life ahead.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 Wells Syrah
Score: 92
Region: Walla Walla Valley
A lot of stems and whole clusters go into the winemaking, adding spice and a chewy earthiness. The nose is scented with camphor, green tea and smoked ham. This is no fruit bomb, rather it's a wine that gathers itself in the mid-palate and shows its real strength in the back half, as its layers of earth, soy, tomato leaf and rhubarb mix and mingle. Long, earthy and complex, this is moving closer and closer to a Cayuse style. It finishes with just a little bit of heat.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 Phil Lane Syrah
Score: 93
Region: Walla Walla Valley
The wine from this tiny (two-acre) plot is almost jet-black, with a garnet/violet edge. Lavender and violets, black fruit and satiny tannins reveal more of the toasty oak than any other K single-vineyard Syrah. Grainy, textural and lush, with lots of pepper and citrus, this has the most sweetness in the black cherry fruit. Supple, silky, satiny and nicely detailed.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 Milbrandt Syrah
Score: 90
Region: Walla Walla Valley
Fruit-forward, spicy and appealing, this is consistent with previous editions of this popular wine. Since 2005 is a particularly good year, this has more concentration and fruit power than usual. I particularly like the tight blackberry core, wrapped in leaf and showing a lot of earthy flavors. The 30% new oak is folded into the wine, not dominant, and it finished with good focus, purity and balance.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2005 The Boy
Score: 89
Region: Walla Walla Valley
The Boy is 88% Grenache and 12% Syrah; the Grenache comes from Christophe Baron's biodynamic Armada vineyard. It's got that biodynamic, composty undertone to the fruit, with plenty of spice and earthy elements. There is a citrus component also - it's an intriguing wine that would be difficult to peg as Grenache in a blind tasting. It's very smoky, very earthy and gamy. The tannins are smooth, but very earthy and leafy, with some bitterness. It could be a Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: December 2007
Wine: 2006 Viognier
Score: 90
Region: Walla Walla Valley
The cool climate fruit provides the bracing aromas, the lively texture, the crispness without bitterness, and fruit that doesn't veer into overripe peach or apricot. It's got an edge to it, but it's very clean, stylish and polished, with a nice level of intensity that has no bitter, hot or volatile elements.
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“His
2002’s tasted from barrel appear to be exceptional…K Vintners
rocks with Washington Syrah.”
-Wine Spectator
“Top ten Syrah in America.”
-Wine and Spirits
“Pinot
Noir and Merlot are first-rate wines.”
“Among the state’s most interesting.”
-Seattle Times
“These
wines offer fascinating layers of richness.”
-San Francisco Chonicle
“His
Syrahs are focused, pure and abounding with character.”
-WineStreet.com
“I recently tasted Smith’s Syrah and it sent my taste buds
into orbit!”
-Bob Woehler, Wine Press
“Exceptional!”
-NW Palate
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: July 2004
Wine: 2002 "The Beautiful"
Score: 93
Region: Walla Walla Valley
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: July 2004
Wine: 2002 Milbrandt Syrah
Score: 91
Region: Wahluke Slope
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: July 2004
Wine: 2002 Cougar Hills Syrah
Score: 91
Region: Walla Walla Valley
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: July 2004
Wine: 2001 Pepperbridge
Score: 92
Region: Walla Walla Valley
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Wine Enthusiast
Issue: July 2004
Wine: 2001 Morrison Lane
Score: 91
Region: Walla Walla Valley
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Seattle
Times
Issue: March 31, 2004
Wine: “The Boy” 2002
An unusual blend of Grenache, tempranillo and syrah, this is the most
forward and voluptuous of the K wines. Sweet, supple and smooth, with
lots of midpalate fruit.
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Seattle
Times
Issue: March 31, 2004
Wine: “Cougar Hills” Syrah 2002
Aromas of fresh-turned earth, dried leaf, manure and herb. Dig under
the scents of earth and you’ll find some nicely ripened, sweet
berry fruit.
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Seattle
Times
Issue: March 31, 2004
Wine: Milbrandt” Syrah 2002
Another aromatic and pure expression of tangy berry fruit, enlivened
with scents of smoke, meat and black olive. Balanced and taut, supple
and delicious.
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Seattle
Times
Issue: March 31, 2004
Wine: “Pepperbridge” Syrah 2001
Taut, spicy, young and aggressive; a bold wine that tastes like a breath
of fresh air, a slap in the face that wakes up the palate.
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Wine Spectator
Issue: February 29, 2004
Wine: Syrah Morrison Lane 2001
Score: 91
Region: Walla Walla Valley
Round, ripe and decidedly gamy, an impressive mix of plum, berry and
roasted meat flavors, hinting at pepper and exotic spices as it all
lingers on the fine-grained finish. Give it time to develop. Best after
2005. 280 cases made.
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Wine Spectator
Issue: September 30, 2003
Wine: Syrah Cougar Hills 2001
Score: 91
Region: Walla Walla Valley
Dark, ripe and generous, a remarkably elegant mouthful of plum, pepper
and exotic spice flavors, finishing with a wee touch of olive and game,
all with some refinement to the tannins. Best after 2005. 138 cases
made
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Wine
Spectator
Issue: September 30, 2003
Wine: Syrah Milbrandt Wahluke Slope 2001
Score: 89
Region: Columbia Valley
Bright and crisp, with cherry and white pepper aromas and flavors, finishing
with blueberry and cream notes, lingering nicely. Drink now through
2007. 630 cases made.
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Wine &
Spirits Review - October '02
Top 10 Syrah in America - Score: 93
2000 Walla Walla Valley Pepperbridge Vineyard Syrah
The fresh blueberry flavor of Walla Walla syrah shines from this luscious
young wine. It seems alive in the glass, vibrant and balanced, with
a fine exposition of flavors and a structural austerity that takes it
beyond simple, delicious fruit. The flavors are long, a lasting impression
that should only gain further length with age. Buy some to drink now
with game, and more to cellar. (110 cases)
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Wine Spectator
Issue: Mar 31, 2002
Wine: 1999 Syrah Walla Walla Valley
Score: 89
Region: Walla Walla Valley
Supple, juicy style emphasizes elegant structure, even if the flavors
are not as exuberant as other Syrahs. It has nicely focused blackberry
and mineral notes that echo nicely on the firm finish. Drink now through
2005. 340 cases made.
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Avalonewine.com
Wine: “End of the Road” 2002
A very different profile from the Morrison. Its nose is dominated by
fresh pipe tobacco, cedar, and rich warm spice, with flavors of intense
black plum, black cherry, licorice, and pie spices. A unique hint of
violets completes the finish. A fascinating wine.
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Avalonewine.com
Wine: Merlot 2002
Made from K Vintner’s prized “En Cerise Vineyard”
fruit, and is made with Bordeaux style intensity. This Wine is richly
meaty and big, with lots of tannic backbone and structure. No wimpy
wine here, this is a big, darkly colored, hearty wine to stand up to
venison or cassoulet.
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Avalonewine.com
Wine: “Morrison Lane” 2001
Full of herbal notes, with lavender, violets, fresh dried grass and
thyme in the nose. Big fruit is well integrated with more herbal and
gamey notes in the flavors, and the finish is exceptionally smooth,
yet shows tannic structure.