Charles Smith
Royal City Washington Syrah
Washington, USA
I’m between a 94 and 95 here. I think this is slightly better than the 2010 I opened two years ago in that this showed more classical funk and savory notes.
I gave this an hour of slow ox and then decanted another 2+hrs. At pop and pour, not very expressive. Even after the hour of being open in the bottle it made such a difference and then absolutely exploded in the decanter. Floral, violets, potpourri, herbal spice, stemmy underripe black fruits all on the nose. Gained a touch of Syrah funk the longer it was open but stayed more between the fruit and stem inclusion side instead of going full on iron/smoked meat. So much up front fruit on the palate before a wall of mineral hits and takes everything down the mid palate on a wild ride. Peppercorn crusted black cherries, dark red and black berries, underripe red plum and really nice acidity to give it a nervy type profile. Alongside the 2014 Horsepower Tribe Syrah, this was more a caged animal yet still retained a wild factor. Then again, most wines are tame compared to Horsepower (just give them time...I’ve experienced how incredible they can be with age)!
I’m between a 94 and 95 here. I think this is slightly better than the 2010 I opened two years ago in that this showed more classical funk and savory notes.
I gave this an hour of slow ox and then decanted another 2+hrs. At pop and pour, not very expressive. Even after the hour of being open in the bottle it made such a difference and then absolutely exploded in the decanter. Floral, violets, potpourri, herbal spice, stemmy underripe black fruits all on the nose. Gained a touch of Syrah funk the longer it was open but stayed more between the fruit and stem inclusion side instead of going full on iron/smoked meat. So much up front fruit on the palate before a wall of mineral hits and takes everything down the mid palate on a wild ride. Peppercorn crusted black cherries, dark red and black berries, underripe red plum and really nice acidity to give it a nervy type profile. Alongside the 2014 Horsepower Tribe Syrah, this was more a caged animal yet still retained a wild factor. Then again, most wines are tame compared to Horsepower (just give them time...I’ve experienced how incredible they can be with age)!
Oy vey! Big, big and bigger! Lots of fruit, body and richness.
Oy vey! Big, big and bigger! Lots of fruit, body and richness.
1 person found it helpfulNov 16th, 2016
This is the best Syrah I have had in a long time. Surprisingly, the color is on the lighter side like a northern Rhône and has a subtle nose. Cherries, blackberries, leather, charcoal, earth, and smoke combine into an incredible taste profile with no tannins whatsoever. Only needed about 15 minutes of air to reach this level of flavor. Wish I had more than one bottle remaining.
This is the best Syrah I have had in a long time. Surprisingly, the color is on the lighter side like a northern Rhône and has a subtle nose. Cherries, blackberries, leather, charcoal, earth, and smoke combine into an incredible taste profile with no tannins whatsoever. Only needed about 15 minutes of air to reach this level of flavor. Wish I had more than one bottle remaining.
Sep 16th, 2020
Last week in Texas. Hosted a final dinner for close friends. Been a great 8 years! King of Washington Syrah. Really nice
Last week in Texas. Hosted a final dinner for close friends. Been a great 8 years! King of Washington Syrah. Really nice
Jul 11th, 2020
Gamey, earthy funk, blueberry compote, big luscious rock star of a wine.
Gamey, earthy funk, blueberry compote, big luscious rock star of a wine.
Jan 25th, 2019
This wine gets really high ratings by the subscription services. And it is a nice wine. However, in my opinion it lacks the “wow” factor, which at this price point should slap you in the face. The wine is well made, but......
This wine gets really high ratings by the subscription services. And it is a nice wine. However, in my opinion it lacks the “wow” factor, which at this price point should slap you in the face. The wine is well made, but......
Oct 10th, 2017
Holy sh*t! The force is with me 😀. A superb wine if you have the chance try it.
Holy sh*t! The force is with me 😀. A superb wine if you have the chance try it.
Jun 3rd, 2017Chocolate raspberry and leather notes and and strong tannin. Huge, delicious and smooth just hard to compare to the beloved 2006 "the wine that started the Washington wine craze."
Chocolate raspberry and leather notes and and strong tannin. Huge, delicious and smooth just hard to compare to the beloved 2006 "the wine that started the Washington wine craze."
Feb 23rd, 2017
Site specificity is huge with Charles Smith is all of his wines. This Syrah is intensely flavorful , dark fruits, smoky leather and long finish on the palate!
Site specificity is huge with Charles Smith is all of his wines. This Syrah is intensely flavorful , dark fruits, smoky leather and long finish on the palate!
Jan 27th, 2017