Milbrandt Syrah is a dark and powerful red wine from the Columbia Valley in Washington, USA. The grapes come from selected plots on the famous Wahluke Slope, where the plants get maximum sun, and a Syrah like this can achieve lots of power and well-defined taste, while the skilled winemaker ensures that the wine is not too gumpty.
Colour: Dark purple.
Scent: Plums, olives, blackcurrants and licorice.
Tasting notes: The taste is also packed with dark fruit: blackberries, plums and a hint of raspberry. Robust tannins and a balanced acidity keep the wine upright.
Serving suggestion: Enjoy it with e.g. pepper steak, lamb or grilled beef.
In 1997, Butch and Jerry Milbrandt planted their first vines in Eastern Washington, to the untrained eye a remote, windswept, high-altitude desert where only gorse and wind witches seem to thrive. But the Milbrandt family have been farmers for many generations, and they have been farming here since the mid-1950s. With the experience also came a conviction that the region’s moderate temperatures, low rainfall and sandy soil were ideal conditions for growing grapes. To help plant and establish the vineyards, they hired the highly respected vintner, James McFerran. After 8 years, during which Milbrandt had sold grapes to some of Washington’s most high-profile wineries, they hired their own winemaker and began making wine themselves from the best plots.