K Vintners Syrah "The Cattle King" 2019
(Snipes Mountain, Yakima Valley, Washington) - [JD 96] [JS 95] [VM 95]

Notes from the Winemaker:
A grown wine showing the vineyard and vintage in such a harmonious way. Purple fruit, mint, black olive and forest floor rest on a foundation of rock. Rich earth, full and compelling perfection.

Tasting Notes:
This one rides the range with notes of grilled meat, dried herbs, wild sarsaparilla, white pepper and a whisper of menthol. Dusty, taunting and moody. Baked rock, earthy licorice, black cherry compote, with a lightness of being. Lively, dense and enticing. It goes the distance. 

Vineyard:
Upland Vineyard (100%)
Located in the Snipes Mountain AVA in the heart of the Yakima Valley. With slopes facing in all four cardinal directions and an elevation that ranges from 750 to 1300 feet, Upland is some of the oldest and most diverse soils in the state - ancient, rocky soils mostly untouched by the Missoula Floods.

Ratings & Reviews

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Another full-bodied, rich, concentrated, powerful wine in the lineup, the 2019 Syrah Cattle King is all varietal and comes from the Upland Vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA. Not destemmed and aged in 50% new French oak, it offers a brilliant perfume of darker berry and cassis fruits as well as notes of ground pepper, chalky minerality, and graphite, which turns more floral and peppery with time in the glass. It's a classic Washington State Syrah with tons of charm. It's certainly approachable today yet will benefit from just a few years of bottle age and keep for over a decade." (Jul 2022)

95 Points - James Suckling:
"Aromas of pine, black cherry and sage. Full-bodied with silky, peppered tannins. Chock full of peppercorn spice and bright, berry acidity. There is so much energy here. Balanced, with excellent intensity and length." (Feb 2022)

95 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2019 Syrah Cattle King is savory to the core, darkly floral and earthy with tart raspberry and sage aromas. This soothes with its elegantly ripe raspberry fruits and sweet confectionary spices, all energized by vibrant acidity. The Cattle King finishes with unexpected freshness yet is still quite tannic with a salty mineral tinge. This will be so incredibly pretty over time, yet patience is required. The Cattle King hails from the southern side of the Snipes Mountain AVA, planted in complex sandy soil and cobblestones of basalt rock." - Eric Guido (Aug 2023)