Sleight Of Hand Cellars Levitation Reserve Syrah 2017, Columbia Valley, Washington

Sleight of Hand Cellars was launched in 2007 by Jerry and Sandy Solomon, along with Trey Busch, who had been making the wines for a small Walla Walla winery. Sleight of Hand Cellars has but one focus, and that is to craft exceptional wines from exceptional vineyards in the State of Washington. The 2017 Levitation Syrah is 100% Syrah from Lewis Vineyard, in the Yakima Valley AVA, and Les Collines Vineyard, in the Walla Walla AVA. Aged for 16 months in all French oak (25% new French oak), the final blend includes about 10% whole cluster, foot-stomped bunches. The resulting wine is exotic and aromatic. Dark-purple/magenta/neon in color, it is full of ripe raspberry, blackberry, and dark cherry aromas and flavors, buoyed by bright floral notes, and savory herbal and pepper undertones; all of which is backed by perfectly integrated fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. The finish is persistent and lengthy, and this wine should age beautifully for the next 10-15 years.