2018 Efeste Syrah Jolie Bouche
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Syrah Jolie Bouche is massively dark with a deep magenta rim and offers aromas of crushed black pepper, blackberry reduction, black cherry preserves and dark plum skin in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the plate, tight tannins instantly grip the gumline and clamp down, needing additional time in the bottle for the balance to come around. The wine ends with a persistent, firm tannic edge on the finish, leaving behind subtle notions of tar, blackberry skin and bitter dark chocolate. Give it another year or two in the bottle, and be sure to enjoy with food.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Coming from the Yakima Valley and not destemmed, the 2018 Syrah Jolie Bouche has a dense purple hue to go with ripe, powerful notes of smoked black fruits, barbecued meats, chocolate, and pepper. This carries to a full-bodied Syrah with a masculine, mineral-laced, firm style that still holds onto a solid sense of elegance. It's going to gain some more charm and accessibility with 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for a decade.
Bright, dark ruby. Cool, sexy scents of blackberry, dark raspberry, cocoa powder and minerals. Pliant, rich and savory but not at all over the top, with black raspberry, spice and faint herb flavors firmed by underlying minerality. Not a sweet style but quite intense, this wine relies more on its serious dusty tannins than on its acidity for structure and potential longevity. The firm tannins coat the front teeth. This Syrah will need time in bottle to soften and gain in pliancy. In fact, it maintained its energy very well in the recorked bottle, and I raised my score for its sexy savory character.