2004 Cold Creek Syrah

Purchase 2004 Cold Creek Syrah

Tasting Notes
“The Syrah from Cold Creek is my most decadent Syrah, offering meaty flavors of dark chocolate and brambleberry with hints of vanilla and caramel. The wine exhibits a full, rich and chewy midpalate with a long, savory finish. My classic food pairing is lamb, but it works well with almost any hearty fare!”
-Bob Bertheau, winemaker

Vintage

• A hot growing season in 2004 followed by a cool fall created a longer harvest, resulting in wines with ripe, rich flavors.
• Hot, dry weather from bud break to mid-August prompted the earliest harvest start on record, beginning August 16.
• Cool temperatures and intermittent light rain in mid-September slowed ripening and extended hang time.
• Warm temperatures and dry weather resumed in early October through harvest’s end with final berries being picked in early November.

Vineyards

• Planted in 1973, the south-facing Cold Creek Vineyard is a warm, dry site with high heat accumulation.
• The low yielding vines produce small clusters and small berries, resulting in intense varietal flavors and deep color.
• The site’s weak, loamy sand and gravel soils with lowwater holding capacity produce moderate crops and concentrated grapes.
• Cold Creek typically is one of the earliest vineyards in the region to ripen.

Winemaking

• 2004 marks winemaker Bob Bertheau’s first red wine harvest for Chateau Ste. Michelle. His mission is to produce a softer mouthfeel and enhanced complexity in the red wines, while highlighting the elegance of Cold Creek fruit.
• Ripe grapes were destemmed, crushed and inoculated with a variety of yeasts for maximum complexity.
• Twice daily pumpovers helped extract optimal flavor and color during fermentation.
• Aged for 18 months in French, American and Hungarian oak barrels, 78% new.
• Frequent airative racking took place in the cellar during barrel aging to soften tannins and enhance mouthfeel.

Food Pairings
Foods: beef, grilled salmon, strongly flavored cheeses
Herbs: basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme

Technical Data
Total Acidity: 0.70g/100ml
pH: 3.67
Alcohol: 13.8%
Blend: 100% Syrah
Cases produced:  600

Purchase 2004 Cold Creek Syrah

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