Senoj Estates Washington State 2007 Syrah

The Senoj tasting room is in the well-known warehouse district of Woodlinville, in wet western Washington, but like most Woodlinville wineries, the fruit comes from the arid irrigated eastern part of the state. Jones (that's Senoj spelled backwards) cellars the wines in Grandview in eastern Washington. The winery is small, producing just under 5,000 cases a year. The focus is mellow and food friendly and the major market seems to be male millennials.

Senoj Estates 2007 Syrah is 4% Viognier co-fermented with 96% Syrah, a product of grapes grown in South Eastern Washington's Coyote Canyon Vineyard, located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. The $22 wine is quite dark in color, with a pronounced nose giving dark fruit, blackberry, black plum, violet, nutmeg, vanilla and black pepper. This is a dry wine, medium plus body, mid-level acidity, nicely rounded tannins, with flavors of brambly blackberry, dried fruit, licorice and a touch of apricot. The mouthfeel has the bright quality I often associate with the Syrah and Viognier mixture; you get this in many Australian wines and of course in the classic French Côte Rôtie from the Rhône River Valley. Drinks very well and melded seamlessly with London broil.