2012 | Cayuse Vineyards | Impulsivo Tempranillo

Deep medium ruby. Inky aromas of cassis, blackberry, violet, mint and licorice, with some suggestions of superripe grapes. Boasts terrific dark berry intensity and an impression of strong but harmonious acidity. Finishes quite tannic and bound-up, with a suggestion of youthful bitterness.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Another wine that flirts with perfection is the 2012 Impulsivo. Showing the heights Tempranillo can hit in Washington State, this blockbuster offers tons of purple fruits, crushed rocks, exotic spice and spring flower characteristics to go with a full-bodied, fabulously concentrated, structured feel on the palate. What really sets this apart is the purity of fruit. In addition, this cuvee ages brilliantly, and doesn't start to really hit maturity until around age 8-10. This beauty will have 20-25 of overall longevity and is one thrilling drink!

• Wine Enthusiast: This wine smells like moist earth after a rainfall. Aromas of earth, smoke, peat, olive tapenade and tobacco lead to abundant savory flavors with a lightly chalky feel. It captivates the senses.

Producer Information

Cayuse Vineyards is a wine producer based in the Walla Walla Valley on the border of Oregon and Washington. Its focus is on the Rhône grape varieties, and in particular Syrah, wines from which have earned several 100-point ratings from The Wine Advocate. The company was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a Frenchman from a Champagne-making family near Charly-sur-Marne. All of the vineyards owned by Cayuse are within the newly formed Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA, which is wholly in Oregon. However, Cayuse continues to label its wines with the broader Walla Walla AVA, which is usually associated with the Washington wine industry, though it straddles both states. Cayuse only uses estate grown fruit from its five vineyards totalling 24 hectares (60 acres). The first plantings were self-rooted vines but, in 2000, Cayuse introduced grafted vines as a precaution against phylloxera. Cayuse has always farmed its vineyards organically and, in 2002, became the first entirely biodynamic producer in the Walla Walla Valley. The soil is "Freewater very cobbly loam" and consists of rolled stones similar to the galets roulés of southern France, particularly Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Cayuse's first vineyard is named Cailloux in honor of its stony soil, and it is from here that the flagship Syrah is produced. The estate's name is a derivation of the same word, and is the name given by white settlers to the local native American tribe. Other top wines in the portfolio include the En Chamberlin Vineyard and Bionic Frog Syrahs, and the Impulsivo Tempranillo. The majority of Cayuse wines are sold to members of the mailing list, places on which are keenly sought.

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