Sleight of Hand Cellars Rocks On With Syrahs

Plus: Black Chardonnays from Double Zero and inspired wines from Avennia and Liminal

There are no longer any terrible wine tasting days on my calendar. No longer any need to slog through a few dozen line-priced bottles of plonk trying to find something positive to say about them. No more participation in pay-to-play wine judgings pounding my way through a couple hundred wines while chomping relentlessly on celery to ‘cleanse’ my palate.

Now every day brings interesting new releases to explore at leisure. But once in awhile there are entire weeks when I am surrounded by such an embarrassment of riches, so many stellar examples of brilliant wines, that I am utterly gobsmacked. Overwhelmed. And immensely grateful. The past couple of weeks were like that. What follows are in depth looks at some of the best of the best: Trey Busch on Sleight of Hand Syrahs, my personal deep dive into Double Zero’s spectacular lineup of Chardonnays (I’ll do their Pinot Noirs next week), new WeatherEye wines from Liminal and an impressive trio of Bordeaux blends from Avennia. Let’s get going!

Sleight of Hand

Sleight of Hand Cellars is celebrating its 20th vintage this year, and as much as any winery and more than most their success is a tightly-constructed team effort. I think of it like a good rock band – say, for instance, Pearl Jam (wink wink) – whose decades of working together meldinig them into a high-functioning, no frills unit. Founded in 2007 by Jerry and Sandy Solomon and winemaker Trey Busch, the main change since then was the addition of Keith Johnson as Production Winemaker/partner in 2011. It marked the beginning of some important changes in the winemaking process,

Trey’s winemaking career was launched when he did his first crush with the late Eric Dunham in 2000, and it seems to me that Dunham’s influence can still be felt in many Sleight of Hand wines, especially the Syrahs. Seven different Syrahs were made in 2023. I asked Trey for his thoughts on them.

TB: “We’ve eliminated many things from our winemaking protocol after trying a lot of the ‘tricks’ – adding tannins, adding enzymes for more extraction and so on. These days we may feed the yeasts to keep them healthy and add a little SO2; that’s it. We’re making better picking decisions; and having consistent vineyard sources for a long time allows for experimentation. Learning through trial and error has allowed us to be more confident in all our vineyard decisions.”

PG: Would you take a little walk down memory lane and talk about your earliest experiences tasting and/or making Washington Syrah?

TB: “I was learning something new about wine pretty much every day during my time working for Eric, and I soaked it up like a sponge. Eric had made about six barrels of what would become the 1999 Lewis Vineyard Syrah, a wine I still remember to this day. I am pretty sure we barrel sampled 30 gallons of that wine before it was bottled, it was that tasty. Stylistically, Eric made that wine similar to the great wines of the Barossa Valley, which we drank a lot of during the early 2000’s. It had a healthy dose of new oak, American and French, and was inky black. It had the most incredible aromatics, and enough acidity to give the wine a spine for aging.

PG: You made wine at Basel Cellars from 2002 to 2006 and made your own Lewis vineyard Syrahs there.

TB: “I spent those years experimenting with different styles, different ripeness levels, played around with some stem-inclusion during ferments, etc. to see what made the best wines for my palate at that time. At Sleight of Hand, we have continued to work with Lewis Vineyard (26 vintages in a row now), and it provides the base for our Levitation reserve. I’ve bottled a wine called ‘Light Years’ on three occasions – 100% Lewis vineyard. That wine and a wine we make called ‘Off He Goes’ are both dedicated to Eric Dunham. We started working with the Funk vineyard in the Rocks District in 2009 (The Funkadelic Syrah comes from that site), and we partnered with Dusted Valley Vintners in 2012 to purchase Stoney Vine vineyard (the Psychedelic Syrah is our estate bottling). In 2022 we added Borderlands vineyard to our portfolio of Syrahs from the Rocks (the Badlands Syrah comes from that vineyard).”

PG: How do you view the three different Rocks Syrahs?

TB: “We love the small differences. Even though they all carry a signature savoriness from that area, each wine shows its singular site. The Funkadelic is a brawnier version of the Rocks; the Psychedelic is a very pretty, feminine wine with more floral and citrus notes. The Badlands is classic Rocks funk!”

PG: Your wines carry some of the most creative names in the Northwest, but none better than Ziggy Stardust. I remember that great David Bowie record from my DJ days.

TB: “Yes, our Ziggy Stardust block at the Elevation vineyard up the north fork of the Walla Walla river. This vineyard is planted meter by meter in fractured basalt on a 45 degree slope, and sur echelas trained. It is one of the most picturesque vineyards and makes one of the most compelling and complex Syrahs in the Pacific Northwest – so different in how it presents than any other Syrah that we make. It was like discovering a new version of [the grape]. We love stems and this wine is always 100% whole cluster. I am of the belief that Syrah shows its site better than any grape here in Washington. Where the grapes are grown has a profound impact on the final wine. True for all grapes but especially for Syrah.”

PG: Finally, how has all the experimentation impacted the way you are making Syrah now?

TB: “We used to use cultured yeast, now 100% native fermentation with all our wines. We used to use a little more new oak than we do today; now it’s anywhere from all neutral barrels to maybe 10% new. In 2009 we started experimenting with stem inclusion in our fermentations (the 2009 Funkadelic Syrah was the first). And our ripeness levels have crept down a bit. I honestly feel like we are making the best wines we have ever made across the board, but especially with our Rhône program, Grenache included. They are transparent, complex, age-worthy wines that have a story to tell. And that is what winemaking is to me… story telling in a bottle.”

PG: Thank you Trey and congratulations to the entire team. Great things going on at Sleight of Hand. Now on to my notes.

Sleight of Hand 2024 The Enchantress Old Vine Chardonnay – Big, juicy and fruit-powered, this hits the palate running with a big burst of fresh cut pineapple, the lemony acids playing a wingman role. Just 10% of the barrels were new, and put the slightest hint of spice into the flavor. But it’s the fruit that really shines. Still quite young, it’s a bright, sassy wine from 40-year-old vines. 366 cases; 13.1%; $35 (Yakima Valley) 94/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 The Spellbinder Red – This is almost half Cabernet, 31% Cab Franc, 17% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. This affordable Bordeaux blend includes a portion of fruit originally intended for the higher priced reserves. Trey Busch calls it “a great snapshot of the vintage.” It’s released early and sees no new oak. It’s tight, tart, crisp and detailed. Flavors of cassis, dark earth and stem, young tannins with a vein of green phenolics. This screwcapped wine will need decanting for the full experience. 14.6%; $25 (Columbia Valley) 91/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 The Conjurer Red – This Bordeaux blend is all free run juice and saw 30% new oak. Young and tannic, it’s firm with cassis and well-balanced phenolic flavors. The black fruits are scored with veins of graphite, scents of clover and accents of Italian herbs. This brings more and more expressive detail all through the finish. 14.1%; $35 (Columbia Valley) 93/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 The Archimage Reserve Red – This is half Cab Franc and half Merlot, sourced from estate-controlled blocks at both Blue Mountain and Red Mountain vineyards. With each new vintage the vines get older and the wine gains more and more structure. It’s sturdy and balanced, built for the cellar, but will drink well immediately when set against something substantial from the grill. Cassis, black fruits, chewy and ripe tannins and seams of black olive, graphite and iron are accented with adobe spices. Decant for near term drinking, but it can cellar for a decade at least. 14.7%; $65 (Columbia Valley) 94/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 The Illusionist Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Estate-managed blocks in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Red Mountain AVA, and Walla Walla AVA make up the blend – 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest divided among Petit Verdot, Cab Franc and Merlot. It’s more detailed and refined than the 2022, with layers of citrus and berry accented with notes of char. Tannins are ripe and slightly grainy, but the lingering finish keeps piling on accents of spice and toasted walnuts. 840 cases; 14%; $65 (Columbia Valley) 94/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 The Sorceress Reserve Grenache – The previous vintage blew my socks off, and here again the sources are WeatherEye, Upland and French Creek vineyards, along with a portion from Les Collines. This is spicy, bright and assertive, the compact black fruits firmly tannic and accented with light suggestions of citrus, brioche and coffee grounds. While not the blockbuster that was the 2022, this is a very fine expression of the variety. 400 cases; 14.6%; $55 (Columbia Valley) 94/100

Sleight of Hand 2022 Higher Ground WeatherEye Vineyard Grenache – One of a handful of wineries given access to this special site. This plot sits at the entrance to the vineyard, high on the south slope of Red Mountain and surrounded by brambly sagebrush. It can be tasted in the tangle of tart red berries, dried earth, straw, pressed violets, cinnamon and cracker. Focused, unique and compelling, it holds its alcohol in check and lets the full expression of scents and flavors emerge. 47 cases; 14.8%; $65 (Red Mountain) 95/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Off He Goes Les Collines Vineyard Syrah – This wine and the Light Years Lewis Syrah are tributes to Eric Dunham, with a portion of proceeds going to suicide prevention. It’s a tight, dark wine with astringent, drying tannins, accented with fresh herbs and anchored with savory black fruit. 14.5%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley) 92/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Light Years Lewis Vineyard Syrah – Another tribute to Eric Dunham, this offers a good, clean look at this special site, with bright flavors of raspberry and cherry fruit. The fruit shines brightly without the funk of Syrah from other locations. Both versions of Syrah are valid; the Lewis is definitely for those who love the fruit side of the grape. 14.8%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley) 92/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Levitation Reserve Syrah – This is 30% whole cluster with native yeast, 30% in concrete and 10% finished in new oak. It’s a labor-intensive way to get more texture, starting with excellent fruit from Lewis and Les Collines vineyards. Peppery herbs wrap around tangy blackberry and black cherry fruit. The tannins and acids keep it balanced through a long finish that keeps resonating for several minutes with hints of charred meat, graphite and iron filings. 800 cases; 14.8%; $55 (Columbia Valley) 94/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Badlands Syrah – This Rocks District vineyard is new to me, and it’s a bullseye for Rocks District Syrah. Clean and powerful, loaded with tapenade, smoked meats, composted earth, funky herbs and all the usual suspects. But the brilliance here is keeping the black fruit front and center, highlighted and spotlighted with side notes. 125 cases; 14%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley/Rocks District) 95/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Funk Vineyard Funkadelic Syrah – This outstanding vineyard captures a juicy, spicy, tightly focused style. Pinpoint flavors of wild blackberries, tasting as if picked right off the invasive brambles that bordered my yard in Seattle, are here in abundance. The savory/funky accents infuse this black-fruited core with notes of pipe tobacco and black tea. The wine trails out with classic Rocks District flavors of underbrush and tapenade. 140 cases; 14.6%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley/Rocks District) 95/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Stoney Vine Estate Vineyard Psychedelic Syrah – I love it that Trey Busch and his team can take this powerful Rocks District fruit and make an elegant wine with abv just above 13%. It emphasizes a rarely found delicate style which is still fully ripened. Fresh-picked blackberries are here in abundance, with supporting acids. The way this wine resonates, like a finishing chord from a grand concerto, is impressive. A dusting of cocoa powder, a hint of pipe tobacco, black tea and iron filings… this is loaded with accents that trail out endlessly. 650 cases; 13.1%; $75 (Walla Walla Valley/Rocks District) 96/100

Sleight of Hand 2023 Spiders From Mars Syrah – Sourced from the ‘Ziggy Stardust Block’, this is foot crushed and fermented 100% whole cluster with stems. “Mountain terroir etched in stone” reads the label, and I couldn’t write a better description. This vintage is significantly lower abv than the 2022; light, savory, sharply acidic and aromatic. It persists through the finish with drying flavors of wild berry and stone that resonate beautifully. With aeration accents of coffee grounds and baking spices come out. This is a wine that needs aeration and attention in order to understand and appreciate its strengths. 150 cases; 12.3%; $125 (Walla Walla Valley) 95/100

00 (Double Zero)

Double Zero has quickly attained cult status with a succession of spectacular vintages tightly focused on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Owners Chris and Kathryn Hermann found a way to produce riveting wines right from the beginning, all without estate vineyards or a home winery (the wines are produced at the Carlton Winemakers Studio). The Hermanns also make wines in Burgundy and Champagne.

As Chris explains on the website, the Black Chardonnay method reimagines a time-honored old Burgundian technique from before the introduction of modern gentle machine pressing and sulfur additions. He resurrected this method in Oregon in 2015 with the first Chardonnay, the VGW. It’s fair to say that Double Zero’s immediate success has inspired others to reconsider the role of extraction and sulfur in white winemaking.

I first reviewed the 2017 Double Zero wines, writing “Double Zero is reaching for the stars with their impressive lineup of eight Chardonnays.” As I tasted through the 2023s, having tasted and reviewed the 2018, 2019 and 2022 vintages along the way, I’m convinced that indeed they’ve reached the stars. It’s a pleasure to share these notes after dedicating several days exclusively to tasting them.

Note: Every one of these wines was tasted again one, two and three days after my initial notes were recorded, and every single one was still drinking quite nicely. The half empty bottles sat for days on my kitchen counter with no preservative or refrigeration, confirming that these wines are alive in the best possible way.

00 Wines 2023 Seven Springs Chardonnay – Big flavors of Meyer lemon, apple and peach, medium-level acids and a burst of toasted nuts carrying it into the finish. It’s just a little blocky, less elegant than the Hyland or the Koosah, yet impressively full-bodied and packed with flavor start to finish. 198 cases; 13.4%; $125 (Eola-Amity Hills) 96/100

00 Wines 2023 Hyland Chardonnay – In most vintages this fruit is part of the VGW blend; this is only the second time 00 has made a designated Hyland Chardonnay (2017 was the first). Sourced from one of the oldest Hyland blocks, planted in 1982, this is a deeply saturated and remarkably bright gold – the color of expensive jewelry – a penetrating wine on a buoyant platform of tart citrus. The flavors cut down and through citrus and green apple fruit, densely packed and almost impenetrable. With aeration the finish opens and evolves, showing lime and lemon rind and flesh, savory lemongrass, flinty minerality and wet river rock. It gradually softens up a bit, leaving a lightly saline trail of almond butter as it gently trails away. 60 cases; 13.2%; $125 (McMinnville) 97/100

00 Wines 2023 Koosah Chardonnay – This exceptional site, owned by Jadot’s Résonance winery, joins the 00 pantheon for the first time. Polished, vibrant and impactful, the ripe orchard fruits are accented with buttery, toasted cashews and popcorn. It’s a smooth ride into, through and back out of the mid-palate, into a finish with impressive length and volume. It seems to expand, still packed with flavor but airy, almost foamy, like something from a three star Michelin extravaganza. Once in the mouth the flavors never seem to completely vanish; one sip could last an evening if you had nothing else following. 59 cases; 13.6%; $150 (Eola-Amity Hills) 98/100

00 Wines 2023 VGW Chardonnay – Made to express vintage identity and Willamette Valley character, this succeeds on both counts. The individual components are not disclosed, other than a percentage of Hyland fruit, but it’s the seamless, expressive and sculpted finished result that says all that needs be said. It’s quintessential state-of-the-art Willamette Valley Chardonnay, rich and dense, fruit-packed and firm, balanced and accented with light touches of sweet spices and barrel toast. Tasting and re-tasting over several hours the wine just keeps changing, morphing, adding new flavors, shifting shape. Nothing takes away from any component, no matter how subtle. 1833 cases; 13.3%; $75 (Willamette Valley) 96/100

00 Wines 2023 EGW Chardonnay – EG means “extra good” – a nod to reserve – blending high elevation Dijon clones with low elevation Wente clone fruit. Seeking a dynamic tension, this wine finds it in the play between the broad Wente peach and pear and light tropical fruit, and the electric acidity and lightly peppery spice of the Dijon clones. Give it extra time to open up for it needs it. On the second day the wine’s piercing acidity drills down with intensity and precision, exposing savory depths lightly accented with apple butter and pear jam. It has a full, forward, immaculate palate all the way through. 277 cases; 13.3%; $115 (Willamette Valley) 97/100

00 Wines 2023 Chehalem Mountain Chardonnay – This precise, tight and focused wine might just as well be carved in stone. It’s a Mount Rushmore of a wine; every detail is crystal clear, and a seam of spring water over rock adds a dash of minerality. There is a full complement of fruit – apple, pear, apricot and papaya all play a role – making this unmistakably an Oregon wine with a Burgundian soul. French barrels are used “sparingly” but just enough to put a kiss of caramel on the finish. Tasting and re-tasting over several hours the wine just keeps adding new details, elegant grace notes of mint and stone and white pepper. An absolutely brilliant wine in a phenomenal lineup of Chardonnays. 172 cases; 13.4%; $175 (Chehalem Mountains) 98/100

00 Wines 2023 Kathryn Hermann Cuvée Chardonnay – With a lineup this good how do you pile on more superlatives? These wines are constantly in motion, with every hour that passes they morph into some new iteration. From the website: “The best barrels of Chehalem Mountain Chardonnay left untouched on its lees for 23 months. No bâtonnage, no racking. The fruit is from Block B3 in Chehalem Mountain Vineyard, planted to clone 108, a selection sourced and cultivated by the Wente family beginning in 1966… and prized for its texture, intensity, and expressive aromatics.” I find a magnificent tapestry of orchard fruits and citrusy acids, with dappled baking spices, dried flowers and a textured, lingering finish. The way all these wines tail out is remarkable and rare. They don’t stop, they don’t disappear, and they not only keep going but they keep bringing more details and nuanced flavors. 96 cases; 13.2%; $195 (Chehalem Mountains) 98/100

00 Wines 2023 Richard Hermann Cuvée Chardonnay – Double Zero tags its top wines with the names of the founders’ parents. This new release, identified only as a barrel selection from an organically-farmed block, seems closest to the Koosah bottling in flavor and style. Whether or not it’s actually a Koosah reserve, it’s a sensational young wine, with incredible depth and detail. I love the overriding acidity which boosts all the other flavor components. Ripe citrus, apple and crunchy melon, peppery spice, a wrap of toasted marshmallows, creamy meringue, apple pie crust and more. Don’t take the next sip until you are sure this has finished evolving. It goes on seemingly forever. 60 cases; 13.4%; $195 (Eola-Amity Hills) 98/100

00 Wines 2023 Freya Hermann Cuvée Chardonnay – This barrel selection cuvée epitomizes Double Zero Chardonnays. It’s a big, powerful wine, yet shows almost endless layers. It’s balanced and textured, densely concentrated as it unfolds gracefully through a wide range of tree fruits with hints of tropical and citrus. It’s both soft and precise, accented with everything from butter cookie to almond paste to apple pie crust. Feral yeast accents bring floral touches. The intensity and richness roll past the ability of language to describe it. 66 cases; 13.4%; $225 (Eola-Amity Hills) 99/100

Note: I’ll finish up with the Double Zero Pinots next week!

Pro Tip: Some wineries seeking a distinctive capsule choose to emulate the classic wax seals used in past eras. Their original purpose was to prevent wines leaking and to fend off rodents during transport by sea. Those beeswax and tree resin seals have been replaced by more modern materials, polymers of various kinds. Options vary widely, from soft and wax-like to hard, impenetrable plastic. The softer ones can generally be easily penetrated by your corkscrew and the cork will pull right out with little trouble.

Others form a hard shell, much like plastic, and though a corkscrew can penetrate, it can’t break the seal and pull the cork through. The best way to approach such hard shell seals is to find your sharpest corkscrew blade and very carefully cut around the very top of the glass. Don’t try to cut it from around the neck, just around the top of the glass. The cut piece will pull right off, exposing the top of the cork, and keeping a clean, finished look (some of my early attempts looked like an outtake from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre).

Both of these have plusses and minuses – the soft ones shatter and drop bits and pieces into the wine. They also coat the worm of your corkscrew. The really hard ones can be a struggle and it’s all too easy to ding a finger.

My favorite solution is bottles finished with a neat little drop of wax across the top of the cork, leaving the rest of the bottle neck (and cork) exposed. Easy to remove and a slick way to pretty up your wine without adding more woe to the harried life of a wine salesperson or sommelier.

Avennia

Avennia 2023 Sestina Cabernet Sauvignon – This Left Bank-inspired blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, sourced as before from old vine Bacchus, Dionysus, Red Willow and DuBrul grapes. This feels like a finesse vintage, with refined, textured threads of flavor. A mix of wild blackberries, black cherries, espresso grounds and a touch of black licorice, it is due for an April release but will benefit from another year of bottle age. Aged 21 months in 60% new French oak, it finishes with a lick of buttery caramel. 434 cases; 14.6%; $75 (Columbia Valley) 95/100

Avennia 2023 Valery Red – This is 90% Boushey vineyard Merlot, with 10% Champoux vineyard Cab Franc completing a nod to Right Bank Bordeaux. By rights it could be labeled as Yakima Valley Merlot rather than the generic-sounding Columbia Valley Red. Some vintages are more immediately accessible than others; here it starts out tight and focused, needing more time and air for the palate to expand and show the density built in to this excellent fruit. It’s lightly toasty and decorated with cinnamon and baking spices; then re-tasted after 24 hours it’s brilliantly aromatic, still dense but much more open, with the structure to age for decades. 229 cases; 14.5%; $60 (Columbia Valley) 96/100

Avennia 2023 Estate Vineyard Red Wine – This Bordeaux blend is 52% Cabernet Franc and 48% Cabernet Sauvignon – no Merlot in this vintage – sourced from the estate vineyard on Red Mountain. The complexity is immediately apparent, aromatically compelling and densely compacted on the palate. Dark fruits, chewy, drying tannins and subtle accents of licorice, espresso and graphite keep the wine thematically coherent. It’s a tannic wine, textured and granular through the finish. 216 cases; 14.5%; $75 (Red Mountain) 95/100

Liminal

I love saying this: there’s nothing minimal about Liminal except maybe the stark white lettering imprinted on the bottles in lieu of labels.

Liminal 2023 WeatherEye Vineyard – Vineyard Series ‘The Aerialist’ – An 85/15 Roussanne/Marsanne blend, aged 14 months in 30% new French oak (including at 500L puncheon), this is lightly floral, deeply fruity and utterly delicious. A broad wash of caramel coats the palate along with a rich blanket of ripe lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, papaya and melon fruits. Further accented with toasted coconut, butter brickle and apple pie spices, this exceptional wine should not be missed. 48 cases; 14.4%; $50 (Columbia Valley) 98/100

Liminal 2023 WeatherEye Vineyard – Vineyard Series ‘The Mountain Tower’ Red – This year’s cuvée is 48% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot and aged 21 months in 70% new French oak – a significant change from the previous vintage. It’s both subtle and circumspect, needing time and attention, air and such niceties as proper stemware to pull out all the flavor buried in such a young wine. Blue and black berry fruit is lightly dusted with Asian spices, finishing with drying tannins. This is balanced, long and clearly just beginning a long life ahead. 166 cases; 14.8%; $90 (Columbia Valley) 96/100

Liminal 2023 WeatherEye Vineyard – Block Highlight Series Block 47 Cabernet Sauvignon – This single block 100% Cabernet spent 21 months 100% new French oak. It’s as black as a wine can be, dense to the core, as tannic as Tannat. It’s Cabernet Sauvignon extracted down to its essential substance, with deep cassis, graphite and char, espresso and licorice, a wine that needs to be mined more than sipped. At this young age the best way to approach it would be with a juicy, fat steak. This wine needs fat! Second day it’s as chewy and dark as ever, dominated by tannins, yet clearly densely packed with black fruits. Immense potential but more bottle age is mandatory. 94 cases; 14.8%; $125 (Red Mountain) 96/100

Liminal 2023 WeatherEye Vineyard – Block Highlight Series Block 16 Syrah – What jumps out first is the texture, the deep, dense weave of black fruits, espresso, licorice, pencil lead – darkness be my friend. On the palate it retains its balance and its detail, though at first it is so compact that much is muted. Decant this wine and give it time to open up. It shows much more after 24 hours, dense with cassis and black cherry, dark chocolate and chewy, granular tannins. It’s big, bold and balanced, best decanted an hour or so ahead of drinking. 100 cases; 14.8%; $70 (Columbia Valley) 95/100

Next week: a deep dive into Northwest Albariño.