Notes from Cayuse:

"Christophe Baron purchased the property and planted his first vineyard in the Stones of the Walla Walla Valley on March 21, 1997. “People said I was crazy, that I’d break my equipment and waste my time and money,” he recalls. “But I knew that vines need to struggle in difficult ground in order to provide their best.” 

He called the venture Cayuse Vineyards, after a Native American tribe whose name was derived from the French word “cailloux”—which means “stones.” In the following years, it has grown to five vineyards, encompassing a little more than 47 acres.

What was considered by many a foolish gamble on that field of stones has been rewarded year after year with some of the most acclaimed wines in the region—and in the nation."

Wine Advocate:

" Beginning with a brilliant and seductively aromatic nose, the 2018 Syrah Bionic Frog rockets out of the glass with a stunning array of juicy fruit tones, baked earth and a dusty, floral sensation with intoxicating elements of smoked beef and black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the Syrah summersaults across the palate with excitement and finesse, offering up spicy flavors of black raspberry compote, spiced chutney, hints of olive tapenade and a lively mineral tension. It offers pristine tannins and a succulent mouthfeel that lavishly lays on the mid-palate. Concluding with a long, winding and ever-evolving finish, the 2018 is flirting with triple digits. The wine rested for 19 months in a mix of French demi-muids and foudre, 20% new. Outstanding! Only 6,396 bottles were made."