Cayuse: Benchmark Walla Walla Wines 2-13-24

 
“The Cayuse wines continue to set the benchmark for Rhône varieties in Washington State…Cayuse Vineyards remains one of only a handful of biodynamic estates in Washington, which I have always found odd, as they prove that biodynamic principles are possible in the region and can create world-class wines. The closed mailing list often dissuades readers looking to explore the range. However, Cayuse continues to release a limited amount of wines into the market that can be found with a bit of searching.” -Eric Guido, March 2023
 
“While the ship has long since sailed with regards to getting on the mailing list, these are singular wines well worth the effort to track down on the secondary market… As I’ve said numerous times, Christophe Baron and assistant winemaker Elizabeth Bourcier produce some of the most singular and impressive wines out there.” -Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
 
It’s no secret that we’ve long adored the wines from Christophe Baron. This Champenois-turned-Oregonian more or less put The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater on the map. His Walla Walla portfolio now includes Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet, and red blends sourced from Oregon and Washington. Representing the pinnacle of the region’s reds, we’re never surprised when top notch scores are released, just pleased as punch that we continue to be able to offer you these mailing list-mostly gems.
 
Not satisfied with crafting some of the most famous and sought-after wines in Walla Walla for roughly twenty years, Christophe returned to the Marne Valley of Champagne to craft exquisitely mineral Champagnes from his family’s vines. We at the shop weren’t terribly surprised by this new project given penchant for Pinot Meunier-based Champagnes from other growers in the region. Nor were we surprised at the obscene quality when he excitedly shared a magnum of the inaugural release with us.
 
The soils in the Marne Valley where Christophe’s grapes grow are particularly suited for Pinot Meunier being comprised of calcareous clay over pure chalk. Meunier is famed for contributing earthy spice flavors to champagne blends and is gaining prominence as a single varietal, particularly amongst grower producers.  
 
Those looking to stock their cellar with beloved cuvees or dip their toes in the myriad options would do well to shop now while our three-day sale is on.
 
“Baron’s wines are among the best of the best.” -Tim Fish, Wine Spectator
 

 
In Stock and On Sale Now from Christophe Baron:
 
Christophe Baron ‘Les Hautes Blanches Vignes’ Brut Nature, Champagne 2017 1.5L Displayed Price: $269, that’s $255.55 at 5% off and $242.10 at 10% off, 3 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2017 Brut Nature Les Hautes Blanches Vignes (Magnum) is a rich, burnished wine. Deep in color and intensity from tiny yields, the Hautes Blanches is a rich Champagne endowed with notable textural breadth and energy. Orange peel, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile, tangerine oil and light oxidative notes build in this powerhouse Meunier. The red fruit character of Meunier is so expressive. This is an especially vinous style, even for Christophe Baron. The Hautes Blanches Vignes is just as much wine as it is Champagne. Disgorged: May 2021.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 94 points “The richest, most generous iteration of this bottling to date, Baron’s 2017 Brut Nature Les Hautes Blanches Vignes bursts with aromas of golden orchard fruit, honeycomb, fresh bread, walnuts and dried white flowers. Full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, it’s a touch more oxidative in profile than its more tightly wound predecessors, delivering a generous core of fruit, complemented by a pinpoint mousse, and concluding with a sapid finish. These characteristics make it the most immediately delicious rendition of Les Hautes Blanches Vignes to date, but they’re also likely to render it one of the less long-lived iterations of this cuvée.”
 

 
Christophe Baron ‘Les Alouettes’ Brut Nature, Champagne 2016 1.5L Displayed Price: $259, that’s $246.05 at 5% off and $233.10 at 10% off, 1 magnum in stock now
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94 points “The 2016 Brut Nature Les Alouettes (Magnum) is ample and broad, with a real sense of volume that grows over time. Layered and beautifully resonant, the Alouttes is also the most sensual and immediate of these wines. Even with all of its intensity, the Alouttes is translucent and so expressive, even in the early going. Spice, dried pear, flowers and nutty accents linger. Disgorged: March, 2020.”
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 93+ points “The most reserved wine in the range is the 2016 Brut Nature Les Alouettes, from a southeast-facing site in Charly-sur-Marne. Unwinding in the glass with scents of citrus zest, apricot, orange oil and pear, framed by hints of wet stones and struck match, it’s medium to full-bodied, tightly wound and chalky, with racy acids and an elegant pinpoint mousse. Interestingly, a magnum tasted in November 2020 was rather more open and expressive than this one, tasted in early 2021.”
 

 
Christophe Baron ‘Les Alouettes’ Brut Nature, Champagne 2017 1.5L Displayed Price: $259, that’s $246.05 at 5% off and $233.10 at 10% off, 6 magnums in stock now
William Kelley-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2017 Brut Nature Les Alouettes is excellent, bursting with aromas of golden orchard fruit, warm spices, honeycomb, plums and toasted bread. Full-bodied, fleshy and vinous, it’s rich and sapid, with a layered core of fruit, a pretty pinpoint mousse and a long, saline finish. Seamless and complete, this bottling is particularly strong this year.”
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 95 points “The 2017 Brut Nature Les Alouettes (Magnum) is the most potent and tightly wound of these three Champagnes from Christophe Baron. It offers up a beguiling mix of graphite, orange confit, dried flowers, earthiness, chamomile and spice, all in a dense, inward style that demands cellaring. The Alouttes shows the more earthy, savory side of Meunier. Disgorged: May, 2021.”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards Camaspelo Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 9 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94 points “Leafy herbs, red and blue fruits, tobacco, cedarwood, and iron notes all emerge from the 2020 Camaspelo, another up-front, charming, soft, surprisingly supple red from this team. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine grained tannins, a layered, silky mouthfeel, and outstanding length. It’s approachable today yet should have 15 years of overall longevity.”
 
Cayuse Vineyards Camaspelo Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Staff Notes: This Bordeaux style blend from Cayuse is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. The fruit and structure are full, with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, and cassis showing on the nose and palate. Secondary and tertiary notes of leather, graphite, and earthiness are perfectly complimented by the full, chewy, and approachable tannic structure. Decant and enjoy or hold for 5-10 years.
 

 
Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2019 – Wine Enthusiast
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 3 bottles in stock now
Wine Enthusiast 98 points “Insanely aromatic notes of potpourri, raspberry, white pepper, soot, funk and earth are followed by bright, fresh, focused, rich fruit and savory flavors. It shows a sense of delicacy and intensity with unparalleled balance. There is no end to the finish. What makes this Grenache-driven wine so extraordinary? God only knows.”
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “The 2016 God Only Knows saw a fair amount of stems (60-80%) and was brought up in neutral demi-muids and foudre. It’s incredibly complex, offering blackberry, smoked earth, Iberico ham, white pepper, spring flowers, and violets. It’s seamless, ultra-pure, medium-bodied, and just glides across the palate and has a Burgundian weight and richness.”
 
Cayuse Vineyards God Only Knows, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $135, that’s $128.25 at 5% off and $121.50 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Seductive and mysterious nose of potpourri, nori, wild strawberries, boysenberries, miso and white pepper. It’s medium- to full-bodied with such delicious wild fruit and umami spice, tied back with tight-knit tannins. Beckoning and restrained all at once. Mostly grenache. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink from 2024.”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 3 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “While I don’t think the 2017 Impulsivo matches the 2016, it’s certainly not far off. Showing the more elegant style of the vintage, it offers a gorgeous perfume of smoked black cherries, redcurrants, green tobacco, bloody meat, sandalwood, and Asian spices that opens up with time in the glass. Ethereal, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, it has flawless balance, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish. It’s just beautifully put together and one of the more approachable vintages of this cuvée. It can be drunk with incredible pleasure today (give it an hour decant) or cellared for 15+ years or more.”
 
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $129, that’s $122.55 at 5% off and $116.10 at 10% off, 7 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “Showing beautifully, with pure cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as loads of dried flowers, cedar, tobacco, and dried herbs, the 2018 Impulsivo is medium to full-bodied and has a seamless, elegant texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It shows more meaty, almost bloody nuances with time in the glass, and it’s certainly a singular expression of Tempranillo. The tannins are present yet polished and ripe, and it has a great mid-palate as well as the balance and elegance to drink nicely today yet also improve with short-term cellaring and keep for two decades.”
 
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 96 points “Rocketing out of the glass with a generous, robust and concentrated inky core, the 2019 Impulsivo is juicy and broad-shouldered as it displays exotic spices with notions of plum jus. Full-bodied and fresh, this gorgeous Tempranillo somersaults across the mid-palate, offering a balanced structure with fine-grained tannins and succulent acidity before concluding with a generous and long-lingering finish. Give it one more year in the bottle, and enjoy it over the next 15 years. Bravo! I’m not spitting this out.”
 
Close-Out Sale Wine: Was $133
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 25 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 94+ points “Tight and closed, with notions of bloody blue fruits, iodine, rose petals, and cedarwood, the 2020 Impulsivo hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a nicely balanced, layered mouthfeel, and ripe tannins that emerge on the finish. I like its concentration, and its tannins are polished and beautifully integrated, but this is in need of a solid 4-5 years of bottle age to show its full potential. It should have 20-25 years of overall longevity when all is said and done.”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards Impulsivo Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $149, that’s $141.55 at 5% off and $134.10 at 10% off, 6 bottles in stock now
Winemaker notes “Produced by the En Chamberlin Vineyard. 2000 saw the planting of 10 more stony acres. Grafted on phyloxera resistant rootstock, it’s another first for the region.”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Cailloux Vineyard—Christophe’s first Walla Walla Valley vineyard, this 10-acre plot was our first vineyard planted in the stones of Milton Freewater in 1997, and produces the flagship Cailloux Vineyard Syrah.”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards En Cerise Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $125, that’s $118.75 at 5% off and $112.50 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “This is meaty, with ripe dark berries, plum skins, smoked bacon, cocoa and ground spiced and pepper. Medium- to full-bodied with firm, chalky tannins and a polished texture, with crushed-stone minerality and dried orange peel. Lengthy and persistent, with a savory finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold”
 
Cayuse Vineyards En Cerise Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 98 points “A slightly darker, meatier wine, offering a Jamet-like bouquet of blackberries, ground pepper, black olive, bloody meat, crushed rocks, and violets. Showing less overt funkiness and just a stunningly pure, elegant, medium to full-bodied Syrah, it has silky tannins, a great spine of acidity, and a great, great finish…”
 

 
Cayuse Vineyards En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $125, that’s $118.75 at 5% off and $112.50 at 10% off, 14 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Ripe black raspberries, iodine, spring flowers, gamey meats, and pepper all emerge from the 2020 Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard, a deeper, broader, medium to full-bodied Syrah with ripe, rounded tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. This meaty, gamey, complex, classic Cayuse Syrah is already approachable today but will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 15+.”
James Suckling 95 points “Roasted thyme, gravy, salted plums, porcini mushrooms, mocha, black pudding and charred bark on the nose. Intense, ashy and meaty, with a medium- to full-bodied palate containing powerful smoky elements, all underpinned by firm and tight tannins. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try in 2024.”
 
Cayuse Vineyards En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 1 bottle in stock now
Winery note “En Chamberlin Vineyard—2000 saw the planting of 10 more stony acres. Grafted on phyloxera resistant rootstock, it’s another first for our region. This vineyard produces The Widowmaker Cabernet-Sauvignon, Impulsivo Tempranillo and En Chamberlin Vineyard Syrah.”
 

 
Top 100 Cellar Selections of 2020 – Wine Enthusiast
Horsepower Vineyards High Contrast Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $179, that’s $170.05 at 5% off and $161.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 96 points “Showing with a deep ruby core that fades to a purple edge, the 2017 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard explodes from the glass with pronounced smoky aromas that waft with delicate notes of dark chocolate-covered blackberries, then show hints of roasted coffee bean, notions of petrichor, baked earth and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is elegantly powerful, showcasing a balanced chassis of youthful tannins that evolve with the complex nature of the wine. There is a velvety firmness to the mid-palate before moving onto an elongated finish that grows in complexity and amplitude as the expression resonates harmoniously, confirming yet another blockbuster Syrah from the ever-so-talented Christophe Baron. Only 386 cases made.”
Wine Enthusiast 96 points “The aromas explode from the glass, with notes of fire pit, potpourri, black olive, wet stone, dried porcini and stone. The palate is sumptuous, layered, elegant and intensely flavorful, showing abundant savory notes. A lingering black olive and earthy finish caps it off. Best after 2025.”
 
Horsepower Vineyards The Tribe Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $169, that’s $160.55 at 5% off and $152.10 at 10% off, 20 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97+ points “The 2016 Syrah The Tribe is largely in the same mold with a gamy, meaty, backward profile. Smoked meats, earthy dark fruits, ground pepper, and wood smoke are all present in this medium to full-bodied, concentrated Syrah that’s going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age and cruise for 15-20 years.”
 
Horsepower Vineyards The Tribe Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2017 750ml Displayed Price: $169, that’s $160.55 at 5% off and $152.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Beautiful notes of red and black raspberries, tobacco, plum sauce, loamy earth, and loads of floral notes emerge from the 2017 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard, another tight, closed wine that’s going to benefit from bottle age. Medium to full-bodied, with notable freshness as well as plenty of underlying structure, it reminds me of Cote Rotie from the Cote Blonde lieu-dit with its incredible floral character as well as its seamless texture. Beautifully done and one of the standouts in the lineup in 2017, give bottles a healthy decant if drinking any time soon, and my money is on it benefiting from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolving for 15-20 years or more.”
 
Horsepower Vineyards The Tribe Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $179, that’s $170.05 at 5% off and $161.10 at 10% off, 11 bottles in stock now
Anthony Mueller-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2019 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard starts with a stemmy, fresh and savory nose with a delightful meaty aroma and dusty florals before wafting with a succulent raspberry skin essence. Medium to full-bodied, the Syrah displays a vibrant mineral tension and spicy mouthfeel before subtle flavors of dried herbs sway with a firm tannic structure. The wine continues to evolve and unpack over the long, lingering finish with a pleasing smoky nuance and persistent peppery note. Give it a few more years in the bottle before opening. Bravo!”
Owen Bargreen-Vinous 96 points “The gorgeous 2019 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard is a gorgeous effort that is already drinking beautifully in its youth. On the nose, it shows off green peppercorns and smoldering stones alongside black cherry compote and roasted dates. The balance and feeling of tension and finesse midpalate are gorgeous. The weight of the core of dark fruits plays well with white pepper, umami, orange rind and shades of red cherry candy. Gorgeous in its youth, this will cellar well over the next decade.”
 
No Girls La Placiencia Vineyard Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 10 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Similarly colored, the 2016 Tempranillo La Paciencia Vineyard offers an exotic bouquet of black cherries, violets, chocolate, tobacco, smoke, and candied orange rind. It’s deep, beautiful, savory, and full-bodied, with a thrilling texture. It’s another incredibly elegant, singular wine from this estate. 321 cases.”
 

Don’t miss our other sale running through Valentine’s Day:

 
Champagne is for Lovers Sale:
 
We’re discounting all of our 178 in-stock Champagnes as well as sparkling wines from Christian Madl!