Horsepower The Tribe Vineyard 2020

Horsepower The Tribe Vineyard 2020

Horsepower
$185.00

Grape: Syrah
Vintage: 2020
Type: Red

This single-vineyard red wine is a pure varietal expression of Syrah sourced from The Tribe Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Winemaker Christophe Baron implements traditional high-density planting and works the rocky cobblestone soils with draft horses to avoid heavy compaction. The hand-harvested fruit undergoes a spontaneous native fermentation using wild vineyard yeasts in neutral open-top vessels, skipping physical updates. It matures for several months in seasoned French oak barrels to integrate its structure.

It displays a deep ruby color with purple edges, opening with aromas of black raspberry, wild plum, woodsmoke, and tar. A medium-bodied frame balances concentrated dark fruit flavors with a fine-grained, velvety tannin backbone. Savory layers of cracked black pepper and crushed basalt rocks develop nicely as the fluid mouthfeel expands across the tongue. A clean thread of natural acidity cuts through the center, keeping the profile fresh.

Horsepower is Christophe Baron's homage to the vineyard work of his family's Champagne past, translated into the stone-strewn soils of Walla Walla. The vineyards are planted at extremely high density, one vine per stake, and cultivated by draft horses rather than tractors to avoid compaction and preserve the life of the soil. As with Cayuse, the farming is biodynamic and avoids herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and chemical sprays. The wines, mostly Syrah and Grenache, come from sites such as Sur Echalas and The Tribe, and combine New World intensity with an old-fashioned, almost monastic commitment to physical vineyard work.