One of the warmest growing seasons on record for Washington, the 2009 Chukar Ridge Syrah further benefits from the steady Gorge winds that sweep over the vineyard, gently drying out the grapes and concentrating the flavors. This bright ruby wine displays ripe fruit aromas of blackberry, dark cherry cola, along with pepper, sweet oak, and vanilla. The fruit carries through to the palate with silky-smooth mouth feel, a moderately full body, and excellent tannin structure that will allow this wine to age gracefully for several years.

The Edgefield Winery is located at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge at historic McMenamins Edgefield, site of the former Multnomah County Poor Farm (ca. 1911). Just 80 miles east of Edgefield, the Cascade Range marks a dramatic climate shift, a virtual curtain dividing arid Eastern Oregon from the temperate Willamette Valley. Chukar Ridge Vineyard, just outside Dallesport, WA, sits on the edge of this curtain, where gorge winds and plenty of warmth combine to yield consistently bold, cherry-flavored Syrahs, with concentrated blueberry aromatics.