2014 Syrah Ceidleigh

Winemaker Peter Devison finds the EFESTÉ Syrahs from 2014 to have “more freshness and tension overall” than the ‘13s. The earlier set of wines were lively and approachable early on, he added, but they’re going through an odd phase now and showing a bit of evolution. Devison emphasized that he picks “on flavor, never on numbers” and that 2016 featured the earliest harvest to date for the Evergreen Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, as flavors ripened ahead of sugars. He picked this fruit on September 3 and 5, or about two weeks earlier than in 2015.

Although the EFESTÉ wines consistently impress for their penetration and cut, Devison expressed the opinion that “salinity often takes the place of acidity in Washington"--or rather, that the combination of soil effects (particularly the presence of potassium) and acidity can increase the perception of minerality, "almost to the point where the wines are saline. This can increase the mouthwatering effect and freshness of the wines."