2018 Syrah SJR Vineyard
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
A full-on Rocks bouquet of leafy herbs, black pepper, black olives, sweet earth, and bloody blue fruits emerges from the 2018 Syrah SJR Vineyard, which is 100% Syrah from a notable vineyard in the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it has a gorgeous mid-palate, ripe, silky tannins, almost perfect balance, and a great, great finish. I'm not sure it matches the magical 2016, but it surpasses the 2017 and is one of the wines of the vintage in 2018. Hats off to winemaker Todd Alexander. Previously known as Grand Reve, Force Majeure has skyrocketed to the top of the pyramid in Washington State, in no small part due to their talented winemaker, Todd Alexander, who moved from Bryant Family in Napa to Washington State to focus on this estate. While the focus is on their Red Mountain Vineyard, they make a bevy of world-class wines from throughout the Columbia Valley. Anyone doubting the quality coming from Washington State these days owes it to themselves to try these wines.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Good medium ruby; less black and saturated than the Parvata or Red Mountain Estate Syrah. Very sexy, highly complex nose melds dark berries, smoky minerality, bacon fat, spice cake and a hint of black olive; wonderfully fresh, aromatic, meaty Rocks Syrah! Savory and smooth on the palate, with subtle pepper and spice notes enlivening the thick black fruit and mocha flavors. Shows a classic slippery, saline, umami Rocks mouth feel but maintains its balance and energy and finishes with a smooth dusting of tannins and lingering black olive persistence. Even the Parvata is still tight next to this higher-pH wine. (winemaker Todd Alexander destemmed 100% of this fruit because he thought the stems were less ripe than the grapes)
Expressing the softer and more feminine side of Syrah, the 2018 Syrah SJR Vineyard offers juicy red fruit with savory characteristics and a soft brininess with elements of red and purple flowers, subtle tones of black pepper and a mineral tension on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is open and expressive, offering juicy ripe blackberry flavors, cherry skin and a soft salty and briny sensation that builds with notes of dusty dark chocolate and umami characteristics. The wine continues to unfold and unpack complexities with elegance for more than a minute. What a devastatingly beautiful wine! This Syrah fermented in concrete and stainless steel vessels and only saw 25% new French oak. Bravo! Only 100 cases were produced.