L'Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Syrah 2022

Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. L’Ecole is named after the old schoolhouse that houses the winery and was originally built by French-Canadian settlers who first began planting vines and making wine here in the early 1800s. The modern winery was founded in 1983 by Jean and Baker Ferguson who were some of the first to recognise the potential of the exceptional terroir here close to the Blue Mountains. Over the intervening years L’Ecole has built a top-tier reputation for authentic and inspired Washington State wines like this Columbia Valley Syrah. In total they’ve been named a Top 100 Winery of the Year by the prestigious Wine Enthusiast magazine 15 times. This particular bottling is made from top quality Syrah grapes along with a little Grenache and Mourvedre which are harvested by hand and gently crushed in the winery. After vinification, the wine is aged in L’Ecole’s cellars for 18 months in 100% small oak barrels which adds subtle notes of licorice, cinnamon and clove to the luscious blackberry, black cherry, and dried violet flavours. On the palate there’s a robust full body, firm tannins and a well-developed structure which make this ideal for pairing with hearty red meat dishes.