Wine of the Week 2/19/22

Barnard Griffin Columbia Valley Syrah 2019
Regularly $21.99/On Sale for $16.96

Rob Griffin grew up working in his uncle’s vineyard in the heart of Napa Valley and enrolled in the Fermentation Science department at UC Davis when he was just 17. After further experience in Napa, he took a chance on the largely undeveloped winemaking region of Washington State, and founded Barnard Griffin with his wife Deborah Barnard in 1983 with a small truckload of borrowed fruit and a rented cellar. Over the last 40 years, the winery has become one of Washington’s most enduring and award-winning wineries.
The 2019 growing season was blissfully free of extreme heat and, more importantly, there was a welcome reprieve from regional forest fire smoke. This resulted in highly balanced red wines of moderate alcohol, dense body, and mature flavors. The fruit in the Syrah comes from a blend of the Arete Vineyard in Columbia Valley and the Desert Aire Vineyard in Wahluke Slope, which has one of the driest, warmest climates in the state. This Syrah is an opportunity to get an excellent deal on a rich, full-bodied red that won't bury you beneath over-concentrated fruit and tannin. Tuck a few of these away for cooler nights or more complex meals!