4/8/2012 - Vinsant wrote:

My first Rayas blanc and almost exactly what I expected. Those heavy white Rhone characteristics with just a lighter approach. Not lighter in terms of watered down or not as intense, just lighter? Creamy lemon custard, almond paste, fresh green herbs, oil, citrus, and huge white flowers. Kicking acidity and chalk reminded me of a Chablis. Matched well with herbed mussels and pomme frites. Really enjoyed.

8/22/2016 - Jimywags wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Screamin' from the moment the cork was pulled. I'm telling you, people, the 2010's from the state of Washington (not all producers, of course...) are damn fine wines. Specifically, the 10's from Cayuse are easily my tip top, favorite vintage of Christophe's wines. Perfect balance of carnivorous savoriness and complimentary fruitiness (not in the 1980's light in the loafer type...not that there is anything wrong with that!). Think Layne Staley and his growly, screaming vocals followed by Jerry Cantrell and his perfect harmonies. Fire-roasted meat and drippings intertwined with dark red and black fruits. Roasted mushrooms atop crushed blackberries. Dark plum lounging in bay leaf infused soy. I think you get the idea. 98pts.

7/16/2016 - Vinsant wrote:

Great value! Orange vanilla, crisp yet rounded edges.

4/5/2016 - bajayngo wrote:

Quick Cayuse release tasting note - straight forward cayuse syrah, mineral, funk, cherry fruit, ash, saline mouth feel, young but balanced. Great to check in on this.

2/5/2016 - bajayngo wrote:

This is some exciting wine here. Bursting notes of stone fruits, a bit of tropical but more honeycomb, mineral for days, fresh herbs. The minerality in the wine was so expressive and inviting and had a nice viscous/oily texture. Will purchase more for sure.

1/24/2016 - Vinsant wrote:

Scored this for $20, which was well spent. Pleasant olive, plum, pepper, tar, light smoke, and game. Sipped well on its own, balanced. Sang with food.

1/22/2016 - Vinsant wrote:

Ripe tropical fruit, hay, honey, and citrus. Diggin this vintage, nicely balanced with uplifting acids.

12/3/2015 - bajayngo wrote:

had in a mini vert with 10, 12 and 14. My favorite of the 3. bright and focused too with honey, spearmint, pears, vanilla and flowers but more generous and round. Nice pairing with crab.

6/30/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Got this for $9 and was pleasantly surprised. Crunchy red fruit, green herbs, a little dirt, and a citrus note. Tastes like a nice Gamay

10/26/2015 - bajayngo wrote:

Like most 2012 Cayuse this was showing well early. Pop n pour it was all liquid earth, tobacco leaf, tart plums, coffee grounds, smoke and ash. Was a great pairing with pan seared ribeyes and roasted root veggies.

8/31/2015 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

Ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! Lots of dark cherry, pepper, flowers, coffee, meat/iron, and a floral lift. Didn't budge much over the 1hr in the decanter and the hour it took to consume. Light on funk with a smooth mouthfeel. Lots of energy on the palate.

9/7/2015 - Dale M wrote:

Decanted 4 hrs. First impression is how much weight this wine has gained since my last taste in August 2002. A real wild card on the nose, exotic eastern spices and salon quality hair products (courtesy of my better half) and even a little funk. The weight I described earlier manifested itself by a more sweet edge to the red autumn, baking spices, a slight meaty edge. The trademark pomegranate trait was definitely there, but not quite as pronounced as previous vintages. A lot of enjoyment to be had to day, so take off the do not touch sticker, still, should hold 5 years, perhaps a bit more.

7/25/2015 - Radboy wrote:

This is a bigass wine plain and simple. Deep dark fruit yet deftly balanced. Regardless, there is a hearty backbone here not usually found with Washington Tempranillos.

6/27/2015 - Vinsant wrote:

Salty, citrus, oak upon initial pop and pour but once some creamy fennel pasta was thrown at it sang. Chalk, dill, citrus, herbs on a medium finish. Why do I not have more of this in our cellar???

6/27/2015 - Vinsant wrote:

Such a great sip! Unripe raspberries, green herbs, tea, underbrush, white pepper, and cured meat. Symbiotic with lamb chops.

6/12/2015 - Jimywags wrote:

Decanted for two hours. Completely blown away by this wine. As good as domestic grenache can get. I have to be honest and say that I was much more excited about the Horsepower syrahs (those have been damn good, too!), but this wine has me rethinking that. Gorgeous nose of red fruits immediately makes the hair on your arms stand-up (for Dale...hairs on his back). Medium-bodied with that unmistakable Christophe structure (je ne sais quoi?) that harmoniously brings every component together. Can't wait to give the 12 a spin. 97pts.

5/12/2015 - Jimywags wrote:

Decanted for 2 hours. This unique domestic grenache has some stuffing. Not nearly as funky as the GOK can be, this wine was laser focused and lithe teaming with red currant and bright cherry fruit. A chalky minerality brought everything into focus while balancing out the fruit. Possessing a heightened complexity that distinguishes this wine from your ordinary, or even good domestic grenache. Will continue to improve in the coming years which is scary. 96pts.

4/23/2015 - bajayngo wrote:

Delicious white here and great acids that would make it a great summer sipper with tons of food. Bright pit fruits, grass and fresh herbs a touch of sweet and great acids throughout the wine.

4/11/2015 - bajayngo wrote:

Quick barrel tasting note, ash, pepper, cherries, tart short finish.

1/9/2015 - Motz wrote:

Bouquet of earth, assorted teas, ink, and gravel. Balanced palate, medium plus acid, high-pitched. Red fruits and berries, dust, minerals, resin, and teas throughout, substantive finish. It might pass for a Right Bank blend with a heavy proportion of Cabernet Franc in a blind tasting, perhaps more specifically a wine from Fronsac. Pleasant and enjoyable.

1/21/2015 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:

If a Grenache can be elegant, this one is it. PnP, consumed over 2 nights. Lighter in body than most Grenache. Expressive nose, balanced on the palate. Fruit, funk and smoked meat, but not the aggressive levels of the latter two that you get from Cayuse GOK. Showed every bit as well on night 2.

1/12/2015 - Vinsant wrote:

Drinking well after an hour decant. Cherry blossoms, tar, red fruit, funk in balance, tobacco, and baking spice. Tobacco really emerged after 2 hours open.

1/7/2015 - Motz wrote:

Drank over two days. Highly appealing, almost hedonistic, bouquet of blue and black berries, dust, construction site, cracked pepper, and minerality. Ripe and very rich. A delightfully juicy attack transitions to a lush mid palate of incredible range and considerable depth, and features truckloads of minerality and concrete dust. Medium, grainy tannins make a prominent appearance at the back, and linger through a long, chewy finish. A young wine that changes inflection beautifully and is ridiculously fun! While drinking it, one part of me wanted to assess the wine; the other part wanted to shut down the mind and let the blue and black berry fruit river (with strong construction site accents) take me where it would. 93-95.

1/5/2015 - bajayngo wrote:

Nice big, rich and viscous on the palate with lots of pears, honey, wool and a bit of grass. Missing a bit of the acids on the back end but was delicous pairing with several types of salmon.

12/31/2014 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

Could drink this everyday. Tart yet perfectly ripe red fruit, cigar ash, incense, rose, cured meat, citrus, and pepper. Long balanced finish.

12/17/2014 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

A delish blend of funk and Franc! Lots of lead and chalk, red and blue fruit, thyme, meat juice, and dirt. And hour in the decanter dissipated the funk enough for the fruit and earth to shine through. Good now but guessing a little better in a few years.

12/4/2014 - Jimywags wrote:

Was so excited to find 5 375's of this wine at Half Wit last month. This wine blew me away earlier in the year with its chenin blanc in such a sec style. Have now had two from this lot and been disappointed both times. The bottles seemed way too advanced. Dark yellow color, honeyed flavors, and not nearly enough zing. Maybe they were damaged by heat? Not sure, but hope the remaining three break the streak. 85pts.

11/28/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Matched well with Dungeness crab. Roasted nuts, mead, lime, salty cheese, a hint of tropical fruits, and ginger. In a great spot but guessing it has stuffing to rest a few.

11/19/2014 - bajayngo wrote:

A delicous bouquet of lavander, fresh fennel, meat juice, fresh cherries and mineral. All transferes to the palate with umami everywhere. Crazy good value.

11/15/2014 - bajayngo wrote:

Man I love finding a good GV. Lots of citrus, pith, toasted sesame seeds a little blocky in style like a white rhone but totally different wine. Generious peach, pear and pit fruits surrounded by a dry frame. Really enjoyed!

11/17/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Really enjoyed this bottle! Opened and sipped lightly while stirring Meyer lemon/mushroom risotto. Good dose of honey/mead, lime, wool, quince, chalk, and a squash-like note. Nice long balanced finish. Sweet with one sip, dry with the next. In a good spot now with fruit and wool fighting for supremency.

11/23/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Arguably the best wine Christophe has made. Balanced, long finish, and flat out delish. Cherry incense, pepper, underbrush, earth, veggie broth, violets, tar, tobacco, red fruit, and meat. Just a light dose of the Cayuse funk. Perfect with lamb burgers. Lots of life ahead. Hoping to try my last bottle in 5-6 years.

11/9/2014 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

Great sip for under $20. Peppered strawberry, olive, meat juice/iron, plum, dried herbs, blood orange, and violets. Good grip and firm acids which made this a great match with lamb stew. Fresh ripe fruit with an old world backbone.

11/11/2014 - bajayngo wrote:

Such a stunning bottle of wine. Beautiful amber in the glass, the nose revealed honey, flowers, wax, orange marmalade, hints of herbs and a slight oxidations that adds complexity. Was traditional waxy, pith and fruit on the palate. Just got better and better with more time in the glass.

10/13/2014 - Motz wrote:

Concentrated, varietally correct, bouquet of redcurrant, red berries, hints of funk, and terroir. The bouquet and palate suggest that this is a very young wine that needs time to show its best. With air, it opens nicely, and features great texture, weight, acid, balance, and finish. At $40, it competes with Willamette Valley Pinot bottlings at $60 or more.

4/17/2014 - Jimywags wrote:

Was a bit worried that this might not be as good as the 2011. No need to worry as this was really a terrific bottle. Young, but so unctuous and mouth filling. Gobs of peach, lychee, and asian pear all wrapped by the cool oiliness that you get with quality rhone whites. Easily the best domestic rhone white available. 93+ pts.

6/20/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Big, rich, ripe, and spicy fruit. Some oak, tobacco, and olive to add some interest. New world ripe fruit with an old world backbone. Decent for under $10.

6/16/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Another nice evening with Muscadet and CR Salmon. This time the Salmon saw 3 hrs of smoke. Matched perfectly again. Went fairly well with roasted garlic and brie as well. Minerals, rocks, sea shells...all lightly dusted with candied citrus and herbs. Went over well in a non-wine geek crowd. Medium finish, nicely balanced, and should improve over 1-2 years at least. No way I'm gonna be able to keep my hands off though.

6/11/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Strong acids and tannins. Fresh cracked pepper, olive, dark fruit, and fresh herbs. Screamed for food. A nice look into Gonon for a decent price.

5/29/2014 - Jimywags wrote:

Christophe asked us if we wanted a glass of the Horsepower Grenache...F%ck yes! Cannot disagree with Darren. Red fruits galore, charcuterie, freshly ground pepper, lively bursts of freshness. Extremely expressive for such a young wine. These Horsepower wines are going to give such a unique experience...one that is hard to find elsewhere. 96+

5/27/2014 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

Barrel sample. Wow! Uplifting red fruit aromas, incense, salted meat, pepper, saline, and earth. Very balanced with no heat, under 14% alc. The usual smooth Cayuse mouthfeel with some slight funk but very different from the GOK. Damn I hope I get an offer!!!

5/26/2014 - Motz wrote:

Bajayngo kindly poured this blind for me. An incredibly interesting wine that put my mind to south Rhone Grenache or north Rhone Syrah. Ultimately settled on Saint-Joseph, with the 2010 vintage in mind. Wow, what a great experience! Incredibly ripe and fresh, while also markedly substantive. This wine represents another level of WA Syrah...exceptionally classy and refined.

5/9/2014 - bajayngo wrote:

Stunningly pure note of fresh fennel sprigs was memorizing! Followed by liquid rocks, fresh cracked pepper, fresh and chalky dark fruits mixed with high toned red fruits and cured meats. Pure syrah at its best!

5/2/2014 - Jimywags wrote:

Popped with around 2 hours of slow o. This wine continues its streak of perfection. Amazing depth, loads of minerals, and even some trademark Cayuse funk. I could smell this wine for hours without even considering taking a sip. Pickle juice, nutmeg, celery seed, asian spice, forest floor, black as night blackberries, black tea, crushed rock, game meats, and smoked currants. There is so much going on that you literally feel punch drunk and this is without even taking a drink. Dense, but not overly so, leading to a palate filled with savory goodies. Blood, grilled meat, olives, and black pepper framed by generous amounts of dark, dark fruit. The liquid minerality suggests this will stun for many years to come. Can't say enough. 100pts.

4/27/2014 - Motz wrote:

Vinsant kindly poured this at a tasting. Wow, what a unique wine! I had it as Loire Sauvignon Blanc from a fat year. It features tremendously pure, laser-like acidity, focused citrus notes, kumquat, carambola, shale, and chalk. Bracing mouthfeel, long tangy finish. Light, crisp, and juicy by Chardonnay standards. Interesting experience!

3/8/2014 - Vinsant wrote:

Love those BH aromas. Incense, 5-spice, moist earth, and red fruit. Compared to previous vintages, the 08 fruit is darker and more intense. Still very balanced though. Rocked with pork tenderloin off the Traeger with a splash of BBQ sauce and roasted curry cauliflower. Tart and fruity with a long finish. Strawberry, raspberry, and pomegranate. Long life ahead. Never disappointed in Brick House!

4/13/2013 - Vinsant wrote:

Slow O'd for a hour. Pretty-sweet red fruit, flowers, tar, olive tapenade, and dried herbs on a clean nose. The palate starts out light, clean, peppery, and juicy, then towards the mid and finish, this wines gets Giggy wit it and gets slutty! Earthy, funky, tobacco, rust/iron, ash, peppered mushroom, and darker fruit. Matched nicely with Pork tenderloin drizzled with maple syrup and mustard. A fun wine!

2/4/2014 - Vinsant Likes this wine:

Chalky and rocky on the nose and palate. Intense lime and orange with depth on a medium plus finish. I could drink this every night!

2/4/2014 - Jimywags wrote:

Decanted for around 2 hours. Drank this as my Seahawks were kicking the Broncos tail all over the field. This Cayuse bottling doesn't get much pub as they only produce about 120 cases a year and that's a shame as it's a damn good expression of tempranillo. Deep and dark with a brooding nose of meat, anise, baked plums, and smoke. Just hints of chewy tannins surround the core of plush cherry, red plum, licorice, and roasted meat notes. Medium to big palate weight without being flabby leaves the impression of a very smooth and delicious wine. If you can, try and keep these in the cellar as they become more complex with age. 94pts.

11/10/2013 - Vinsant wrote:

My first and hopefully not last Bonneau. Ripe fruit yet gentle and balanced with no noticeable heat. Red fruit, olive, tar, smoke, rocks, tobacco, licorice, and Herbs de Provence. a finish that wouldn't quit. Matched well with lamb. There was also a huge dose of pepper and salted meat that ran from start to finish. Probably the finest traditional tasting CdP I've ever had. Thanks RJ! An extremely clean wine which surprised me a bit after hearing stories of the dirty cellar. A very classy wine!