Horsepower The Tribe Vineyard Syrah 2020

Horsepower The Tribe Vineyard Syrah is a Syrah from a 1.2-hectare block on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, planted at pre-phylloxera density and worked entirely by draught horse.

The Baron family were farming in the Marne Valley in Champagne in the fifteenth century, so when Christophe announced he would plant five new Walla Walla vineyards at Champagne's old one-metre-by-one-metre spacing and work them with horses, nobody who knew him was surprised. A typical Cayuse block holds 2,800 vines per hectare; the Horsepower sites hold 12,100. Three Belgians and two Percherons, with their teamsters, do the cultivating. This block lies on the same basalt cobbles as the rest, thin silty loam over deep stone, and the vines are individually staked, which shades the fruit as the sun crosses and keeps alcohol moderate, usually between 13 and 13.5 per cent.

Violet, bacon fat, black olive and blue fruit, with a fine tight tannin line and real length. This is Syrah on the savoury side of the ledger. Serve at 17 degrees after an hour open. Roast lamb, or duck with olives.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.