FYI, the 2010 vintage was declared one of the Best wine of 2013 by Jeb Dunnuck from the Wine Advocate and also received 95 points. .
Jeb Dunnuck from the Wine Advocate
Go To Avennia Arnaut Syrah Yakima Valley
Jeb Dunnuck from the Wine Advocate
Go To Avennia Arnaut Syrah Yakima Valley
"(15% vinified with stems; aged in 15% new oak): Bright ruby-red. Shy but precise aromas of black- and blueberry, bitter chocolate and licorice. Highly concentrated and primary, with densely packed flavors of black raspberry and dark chocolate. Finishes with suave, late-arriving tannins and a subtle floral high note. Made from vines picked on November 3 at 24.2 degrees Brix."
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 91+ pts
Go To Avennia Arnaut Syrah Yakima Valley
"Fermented on native yeasts, this young and exuberant Syrah offers a pure and focused look at the fruit from one of Washington's greatest vineyards. Deep purple, supple and rich, the dense flavors of blue and purple fruits fill the palate with a silky mouthfeel. The finish is long, smooth and impeccably fresh.- PG" - Wine Enthusiast, 93 pts
"Made from 100% Syrah and most likely the best vintage of the wine to date, the 2012 Syrah Boushey Vineyard Arnaut is a smoking-barrel sample that's loaded with potential. Blackberry, pepper, bloody meat, salty minerality and earth are just some of the nuances here. This full-bodied effort has fantastic texture, substantial, yet sweet tannin and a terrific finish. It should evolve nicely for 3-4 years and drink well through 2027."
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 213, June 2014), 94-96 pts
"The best wine from Chris to date is the 2012 Syrah Boushey Vineyard Arnaut, and this smoking Syrah comes all from vines planted in 1994 and 1996, saw 15% stem inclusion during fermentation, and 16 months in only 15% new French oak. Showing the firm, focused, yet pure and concentrated style of the estate, it offers awesome notes of black fruits, bacon fat, black olive and smoked meats. Full-bodied, with a stacked mid-palate, ample texture and a big finish, give bottles 2-3 years in the cellar, and enjoy through 2027."
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 219, June 2015), 96 pts
"15% alcohol; from the two oldest blocks of Syrah at Boushey, planted in 1994 and 1996; 15% new oak; 15% whole cluster. Deep ruby. Brooding aromas of black fruits, licorice pastille, violet, bitter chocolate and crushed stone, plus a suggestion of bread dough. Juicy and tight on the palate, boasting terrific inner-mouth lift and grip to its blackberry and violet flavors. Finishes firmly tannic and quite backward. This will need time in the cellar to express itself. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Vinous (November 2015), 92 pts
"Mineral, mulberry, dried herb and black-fruit aromas lead to layered dark-fruit flavors that show intensity as well as exceptional balance. This has a delicious factor that is impossible to ignore."
- Wine Enthusiast (December 2015), 92 pts