2022 Illahe Syrah, Red Mountain

Grape Varietal: Syrah

Country: USA

Region: Red Mountain, Washington

The Wine: Illahe Vineyards is a three-generation family operation rooted in the mid-Willamette Valley, where winemaker Brad Ford works by hand in small lots with native yeasts, minimal additions, and a LIVE-certified sustainable farming philosophy. The Blackwood Canyon Vineyard Syrah marks Illahe's first foray into Washington fruit — a 2022 debut sourcing from one of Red Mountain's foundational sites on the AVA's southwest-facing slope, where Missoula flood-deposited sandy loam and wind-blown loess soils with high alkalinity and calcium carbonate drive small berry sizes and exceptional tannin density. The fruit was hand-picked and fermented in concrete with native yeast, then aged 18 months in barrel.

The 2022 Blackwood Canyon Syrah is a structured, dark-fruited expression of Washington's most intense appellation. It opens with aromas of blackberry compote, cracked black pepper, and cured meat, lifted by a note of iron and dried violet. On the palate, it is full-bodied and grip-forward, with ripe but firm tannins, a core of dark plum and olive tapenade, and a long, mineral-edged finish that signals real aging potential.

Pairing: Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and charred fat, a slow-braised beef short rib over creamy polenta, smoked eggplant with harissa and chickpeas, or a winter dinner of cassoulet eaten by candlelight with a second pour already poured.