Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah Columbia Valley 2003

Winemaker's Notes:

TASTING NOTES "The Columbia Valley Syrah is our soft, jammy and fruit-forward Syrah that is easy to enjoy. The 2003 Syrah is a fruit-driven wine with ripe berry and exotic spice characters." - Bob Bertheau, Head Winemaker VINTAGE Dry, warm weather throughout the growing season in 2003 created excellent ripening conditions. Modest precipitation in August and September cooled the vineyards, slowed down ripening and allowed grapes to benefi t from extra hang time. At harvest, fruit had reached full maturity, with intense fl avors, good sugar development and high natural acidity. WINEMAKING Ripe grapes were picked during the warmth of the day to start fermentation quickly, then crushed, destemmed and fermented for 7-8 days. A combination of maceration techniques were used to bring out Syrah's lush, concentrated character and minimize harsh tannins. Approximately 80% of the wine was made using pumpover techniques, where the juice was pumped over the cap twice daily to extract color, aromas and flavors. The remaining 20% of the wine was made by either gently punching down the cap for more rounded tannin extraction or fermented in a rotating tank to produce a more fruit-forward character in the wine. Aged for 14 months in French and American oak barrels, 25% new. TECHNICAL DATA Alcohol..........13.9% Total............0.58g /100ml Acidity..........pH 3.74 Blend............95% Syrah, 3% Viognier, 2% Cinsault FOOD PAIRINGS Foods: Beef, grilled salmon, strongly flavored cheeses Herbs: basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme