The 2007 Syrah The Deal Sundance Vineyard is a large step up. It delivers more aromatically and on the palate; bacon, game, lavender, incense, and blueberry scents jump from the glass. Velvety on the palate with layered fruit, succulent blue and black fruit flavors, plenty of spice notes, and impeccable balance, this pleasure-bent Syrah can be enjoyed now and over the next 8 years. Over the past two years a cult following has sprung up around the persona of Charles Smith, imbuing him with larger than life attributes. By and large, he has acquired this status the old-fashioned way, he has earned it. When I tell enquiring minds that I’ll be visiting Charles later in the day, they know exactly where I’m going. Once past the persona, however, Charles Smith continues to make some of Washington’s finest wines. Native yeast fermentation, foot crushing, spontaneous malolactic fermentations, gentle basket pressing, no fining or filtration are routinely practiced in the cellar. Even more important, Charles Smith knows where to find the great grapes. In a region where blending is still the rule of thumb, he is the ultimate terroirist. Almost all of his wines are sourced from single vineyards. There are three groupings, the K Vintners selections, The Cayuse selections, and the Charles Smith selections. Tel. (509) 526-5230; www.kvintners.com

Blood red, with a center almost black, and a smell like raw meat. A remarkable wine, cropped at well under 2 tons/acre and vinified with roughly 50% whole clusters. Complex and aromatic, with a fruit jelly character that mixes exotic berries and black currants. This is a wine you can dive into and keep exploring; beyond the luscious fruits are layers of herb and cured meats and a vein of graphite.——P.G.(2/1/2011)—— 94