2021 Hors Categorie Syrah by Christophe Baron Hors Categorie Vineyard | Walla Walla Valley Washington 750ml

The 2021 Syrah is another pretty, perfumed example of this cuvee. All Syrah from a steep hillside vineyard (there are two parcels) on the north fork of the Walla Walla River, its ruby semi-opaque hue is followed by a beautiful nose of framboise, redcurrants, flowers, peppered meats, lavender, and hints of shitake mushrooms. It picks up a certain Graves-like scorched earth/cold fireplace character with air, and this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a supple, incredibly elegant mouthfeel, and ultra-fine tannins. It needs lots of air if drinking any time soon and will ideally be given 5-7 years of bottle age. I'd be shocked if it didn't evolve gracefully for at least two decades. | 97+, Jeb Dunnuck for jebdunnuck.com

A stunning wine that is every bit as good as the 2020, the 2021 Hors Categorie Syrah is cut from a fleshier style of this bottling, reminiscent of the 2018 and quite divergent from the 2019. Like the 2020 bottling, this is perfection in the glass, yielding its mind-numbing flavor and aromatic range. A deep core reminiscent of the 2020 starts us off with scorched earth and wintergreen notes that combine with Nori, white peppered brisket, iodine, and boysenberry preserves. The palate is plush and soft, loaded with underlying finesse. Very stony and impeccably balanced, this is an unforgettable effort by director of winemaking Elizabeth Bourcier that is amongst the finest Hors Categorie ever produced... | 100, Owen Bargreen, owenbargreen.com

Christophe Baron has been a pioneer of Biodynamic farming in the Walla Walla Valley of Eastern Washington. His vineyard sites for all of his projects including Horsepower, Cayuse, and No Girls are farmed with no herbicide, no pesticide, no fungicide, and no synthetic fertilizers. Winemaker Elizabeth Boucier crafts the No Girls wines at the Cayuse location. The wines are a direct representation of their artisanal craftsmanship.