Cayuse, Cailloux Syrah, Walla Walla Valley

Surprised at how little funk there was on opening. Taste was robust with a prominent mature fruit presence, little acidity, soft tannins and nice finish. Not sure I really can describe all that was coming at me .

2021 vintage

Beautiful wine and at peak maturity in my opinion.

2012 vintage

First of seven bottles of this vintage, fully mature. Ruby, translucent. Sweet-smoky aroma of red and dark fruits, soft and elegant. Medium intensity flavors to match. Would have expected more power and concentration. I'll open another soon to see how it compares. Ric

2014 vintage

wow, that is a whole new level of funk, in the best way possible. never knew wine could taste like this and still be so juicy and delicious. must find more ...

2021 vintage

Deep, clear ruby in the glass with a touch of bricking at the rim. Nose opens with that standard, ashy, "inside of a caldera" Cayuse rock, grilled game, smoky cocoa, bit of spice, pipe tobacco, some blackberry, and a touch of high-toned floral uplift on the end from the Viognier, which just barely comes through because of the prominence of the rocky front end. Palate carries over well, accentuating volcano, and you get a lot more of the high-toned floral/white …

2012 vintage

Dark berry fruit, smoky nose, cocoa and earth. Should rink well for awhile.

2014 vintage

I’ve been wanting to try this bottle for a long time, but I’ve been pretty patient with it based on what reviewers on CT have said. Now seemed about right. Before tasting, the smell is very strong: cherries mixed with cinnamon, violets, and wet earth—really nice. On the palate, the cherry, strawberry, and currant fruit is very concentrated and I would have guessed a New World Pinot Noir at first, something like a Santa Cruz Pinot, with the floral notes. …

2012 vintage

Intense red fruit, smoky, and medium-high acidity. Decently balanced. A crowd pleaser.

2014 vintage

Smoked meats, bacon fat, sugar plum, black cherry- a very savory nose - distinctly syrah. The palate was full bodied with layers of red, black and blue fruits. A big wine, and I think it needs some time to come together. 92 pts for now but will be better in 5 years.

2012 vintage

A full day of air from this decanted portion, it really suprized me as to the nose of flowers as it smelled exactly like a bouquet of mixed flowers. Palate was full of clean sea life, salty flavors of density, length was savory and full of Japanese delicacies. This deserved to be paired with the best of Japan. Umami. This was a perfect pair for Tokubetsu type food. Iodine, savory salty rolls, like plum sauce and what would go with …

2009 vintage

Looked at my notes, cuz I remembered to pay attention. $$ So, I opened here 6 years later to find that this bottle was in an awesome window. I had this sitting upright for about 2 years. Cork was in excellent shape. Used Durand, cuz I ain't no dummy. All but about 8oz juice was decanted. Now, 10 hours later, nose was rich full of salty iodine, stems, stones, violets. It was like smelling a greenhouse of flowers next to …

2009 vintage

Not sure where I got this from. Was in my cellar. Seemed like there might have been a little heat damage, but still some nice meaty, stewed fruit characteristics.

2012 vintage

1st of 3 bottles. Amazing as expected. All kinds of funky, weird, mesquite, barnyard notes over peppery Syrah goodness. Hard for my non-wine friends to enjoy. WOTN for me.

2021 vintage

First pour had a light, sweet/sour smokiness. thankfully, after an hour in decanter smoothed into a somewhat richer, meatier blend, still a bit rough smoke. Will benefit from more time.

2014 vintage

This wine is velvety, meaty, lush, and sexy. Very dark black fruit. Super soft tanins probably a touch past peak but gorg none the less. Opened next to a 2013 of the same & they couldn’t have been more different!

2012 vintage

2 years since last bottle and this is fantastic - Nose has that ashtray smokiness that softens into more of a meat and olive vibe. Not dense or heavy at all but plenty of depth, flavour and persistence Really delicious now

2014 vintage

A staggeringly good effort. This is in the sweet spot right now. Why wait?

2014 vintage

Man is this young! Peppery and awkward just after opening. Decanting, waiting, and slowly the fruit comes through. A very serious wine, but also a wine that require patience. 91 when I opened, 96 late in the evening - and potential for more.

2021 vintage

Smoky deliciousness. Very Cayuse. Ready now.

2014 vintage

In a lovely place right now but i think it could benefit from 2-5 more years. We opened a 2010 last fall and it was insane. Classic Cayuse nose, meaty funk, smoke, earth, herbs and some red fruits. On the palate, raspberries, bramble, rosemary, black olives, black pepper, raw duck meat, smoked earth (peat) and a cocoa note on the finish. A really lovely Cayuse, the funk is there but at a beautiful stage in it's life. Give it a …

2014 vintage

Bought this at SeaTac wine bar in December if 2011, on our way home from a vacation with friends. Decanted to pour off sediment, which was not excessive, but there. Let sit for 15 minutes. Dark ruby, approaching opaque in the glass. Mushroom, dark fruit and some sage on the nose. I got some peanut butter as well... That's a first. Dark fruit and caramel with a lovely silkiness mouth feel. Lovely.

2009 vintage

Excellent. Very smooth

2021 vintage

This has consistently been one of my favorite Cayuse wines. There remains a purity of fruit that has aged amazingly well and is fabulous.

2012 vintage

Bummer…bottle is corked. Purchased direct from winery & cellared since so provenance is perfect. PNP after we finished the 2009 En Cerise & it was immediately noticeable. Hoped it might be the Viognier being past its prime but the TCA was there. Last bottle of 3-pack & 1st 2 were great.

2009 vintage

Tenth and final bottle, outstanding and consistent throughout! Ric

2012 vintage

Deep plum, fig and cocoa notes on the nose, nicely refined, grippy acidity, complex on the palate, concentrated, shows off flavors of plum, blueberry, herbs, beets and peppercorn, continues to unfurl in the glass with a tender mouthfeel and sexy texture, drinks well today but should evolve into a showy syrah so drink or hold

2021 vintage

Drinking pretty perfectly right now. Brief decant to filter out a small amount of sediment. Silky smooth, integrated and lively. Paired particularly well with a black truffle peccorino. I probably wouldn't wait too much longer to consume, but it's not a huge rush.

2009 vintage

Tenth time tasted since 2018. One of their best Cailloux vintages, fully mature but getting even better! Dark garnet, opaque. Immediate very pronounced typical Cayuse syrah aroma of smoke, tar, roasted meat, French oak, plums, blackberries. Big, rich flavors to match, full-bodied but perfectly well balanced, not at all heavy; some anise on late palate. No significant tannin in the way of the fruit. No sign of age but I'll drink our last bottle within the next year. Ric

2012 vintage

Crimson in color. 13.6% ABV. Trademark Cayuse nose of red fruits, olive brine, barbecued meats and flowers. Medium body with ample acidity. Rich and savory. Cherry, olive tapenade, smoked meats and blood on the palate. Nice length on the finish. Delicious and ready to drink. My last bottle of a three pack and the previous two were slightly more compelling. Best over the next year.

2014 vintage

Has a little age on it now, this is silky smooth and balanced. I like my Cayuse on the aged side and this did not disappoint.

2012 vintage

24h decant Notes of smoke and minerality, heavy umami, respectful tannins and light acidity, not a lot of body but would do great with more time. Served best with red meat.

2021 vintage

Needed an hour for the austere acidity, funk and sulphur to blow off. After that opened up nicely to a balanced and complex wine in its prime ready to drink

2012 vintage

It is hard to believe, but this has gotten even better with additional time in the bottle! Exquisite balance. Absolutely perfect finish. Dark berries, forest floor, and some of that gravel that we all love. Hints of vanilla or mint or some crazy shit I can’t describe on the nose. What is that anyways?!? I am absolutely impressed with how this has held up. Drinking at the 4 hour mark, it kept improving. Yowza!

2012 vintage

Delicious. Drinking fabulously right now. Great fruit, acidity, complexity. Very soft tannins. Very subtle funk for cayuse.

2014 vintage

WAY too young to drink. No decant. Had it against an Edge Hill and a Vosne Romanee. Thin and closed at moment but had some nice red and blue fruit to it. Ruby in color. This will be good in the long run.

2021 vintage

Meat and leather and peaty scotch on the nose. No fruit at all. Palate is that plus a ton of green pepper / aloe / green. Similar to the Hors Categorie I had a few months ago though much less green than the Hors. Still more green than I'd have liked. Interesting for sure. I'd have liked to try it younger to see if there was any fruit.

2014 vintage

Needed a short time to blow off. Still lovely, but began to tail off after a few hours. Drink up.

2009 vintage

Lots of poopy Bretty notes upon first opening. It’s dark annd brooding… After a while there’s some pepper, beef jerky, green and black olives, and an intense minerality like sucking on copper pennies

2012 vintage

In a nice window for me. The funkiness and edges are now nicely integrated.

2014 vintage

Two-hour decant. Full dark-garnet core with ruby edges and bright tones. Bright, dark fruit aromas of blackberry, black raspberry, and hints of blueberry, with cracked peppercorn, fresh rosemary & violet, brown mushroom, tea and hints of clove. Black fruit, fresh and ripe, expressive on the attack, with notes of iron, loamy earth, eastern spices, paprika and tea. Medium in weight and refined structure over a dense core, with fresh but light-handed acidity, moving toward thick creamy tannins, finishing with zesty …

2021 vintage

This is liquid earth. Berries intermeshed with gravel and dusty leaves. Polish. Dark as the night. Clean finish that goes on and on. An underlying hint of black olives that never fully emerges. Delicious!

2012 vintage

Compared to a bottle almost two years ago, this has really settled down. It's now much better integrated. The creosote is muted, but all the other desireable components are still present - pepper, grilled meat, garrigue, minerals, etc. Tannins still present, but they're under control. Rich, with a great finish. Good stuff. Guessing it has years left on it.

2014 vintage

Very rich and in the classic Baron style. Very good. Round, Plum, Blackberry, Earth, Leather, Smoke, Tobacco, Oak. Great nose, palate, mouthfeel, and Finish. Also agree with Ex-Ray… ditto his comments. Thanks Christophe! Glad you aren’t in Champagne.

2012 vintage

Ninth time tasted since 2019. One of their best Cailloux vintages, fully mature but getting even better! Dark garnet, opaque. Immediate very pronounced typical Cayuse syrah aroma of smoke, tar, roasted meat, French oak, plums, blackberries. Big, rich flavors to match, full-bodied but perfectly well balanced, not at all heavy; some anise on late palate. No significant tannin in the way of the fruit. Slight bitterness when first opened, blew off after a couple of hours. Outstanding now, a perfect …

2012 vintage

Heater week; 3/8/2024-3/17/2024 (Chicago, IL) : Quite similar to the 2019 and 2020, with a dark fruit focussed profile. The licorice note here is a little off-putting, but at least the dirty animale funk isn't here. I really do wish that the perfume I expected from the viognier was apparent.

2021 vintage

Heater week; 3/8/2024-3/17/2024 (Chicago, IL) : Almost seems like a regime change with this wine -- its black fruit has a much more confectionary aspect to it, and the ripeness is far more pronounced as well. Sweet and juicy, but at the same time, reasonably held in check.

2009 vintage

Heater week; 3/8/2024-3/17/2024 (Chicago, IL) : After a few dirty vintages, this is a bit of a return to form. The fruit is more on display here, and the alcohol is dialled back down a hair so you don't notice it as much (the lack of fruit of course also makes the alcohol stand out more). This is a darker profile of fruit, and we're getting to the vintages where the tannins are starting to become more prominent.

2014 vintage

Heater week; 3/8/2024-3/17/2024 (Chicago, IL) : The alcohol sticks out here, relative to many of the other preceding wines. Almost overly dirty and funky, with too much barnyard. Some spice notes, but the fruit has gone AWOL.

2012 vintage

Outstanding as always, drinking well, but certainly plenty of time left to hold and age.

2014 vintage

I needed this wine. I have had 2 young Cayuse wines (2018's) in the last 18 months and the funk, young fruit dominated, and astringent wines left me not liking Cayuse as much (although I have 20+ bottles left). This was on point. The age is perfect. I now know 10 years+ on all future Cayuse. Do not drink earlier (note to self). The Viognier is spot on, this is a dead ringer for a Northern Rhone with the brambleberry, …

2014 vintage

Are you sure?

Cayuse, Cailloux Syrah, Walla Walla Valley

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews