A superb vintage for this cuvee, the 2010 Syrah Pheasant Vineyard is 100% Syrah that comes from sandy loam soils and vines planted in 2000. Aged in 30% new French oak, it offers up peppery, Christmas spice-like aromas that give way to more game, rosemary and smoked fruit qualities with air. This full-bodied, gorgeously textured Syrah has no hard edge, excellent concentration and a light, elegant mouthfeel that carries through the lengthy finish. An absolute superb value, this beauty will evolve for 2-4 years and drink well for 10-12 years. Drink now-2022. In the top tier of producers in Washington State, wild man Charles Smith fashions singular, exotic wines that never lack for richness or texture. While his wines can push the limits in some vintages and be slightly controversial, there’s nothing controversial or over the top with these 2010s and 2011s and they have beautiful purity of fruit, clean, integrated acid profiles and solid underlying structure. In almost all cases, given the quality, they represent incredible values. While this was a slight marathon tasting, when the wines are this good, it’s always easy to keep your motivation. Focusing on low-yields in the vineyards, the winemaking here is straight-forward with almost all of the wines seeing some whole cluster fermentation, time on lees and aging primarily in neutral French oak. www.kvintners.com

The 2008 Syrah Pheasant Vineyard was made with 50% whole clusters. The nose is more brooding and on the palate the wine is more structured. There is plenty of ripe savory fruit and enough fine-grained tannin to support 2-3 years of cellaring. Drink it through 2020. I met up with Charles at his new wine bar in Walla Walla before we drove out to the winery in his 1949 Cadillac, a picture of which is on the web-site (not the deluxe model like my grandfather used to drive). It is always a highlight of my annual trip to Washington because in addition to the tasting, you get a performance but, after all is said and done, when it comes to making wine, Charles Smith is all business. He knows where the vineyards are, he believes in amazingly low yields, and in the winery he is a non-interventionist. All of the following wines were made with native ferments and were bottled without fining or filtration. Tel. (509) 526-5230; www.kvintners.com

First you smell chocolate, then it quickly shows a piercing minerality, with tart boysenberry and pomegranate fruit. Dense without being heavy, it has compact layering that shows especially in the aromatics. A subtle, refined, elegant wine that does not feel at all like its 15% alcohol.——P.G.(12/15/2011)—— 93

The 2007 Syrah Pheasant Vineyard displays an aromatic array of earth notes, smoked meat, leather, and plum. Mouth-filling and chewy on the palate, it has plenty of stuffing but not the complexity of the other Syrahs. It will evolve for 2-3 years but can be enjoyed now. 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