THE WINE The Hogue family planted its first vineyard over 30 years ago and soon realized that Washington’s climate and soils had the potential to nurture world-class wines. The Hogue Cellars mission has always been to make wines that fulfill the promise of the land using superior viticulture and winemaking techniques. Today, the family’s original vision is celebrated in Genesis wines, which are crafted with the highest quality fruit from acclaimed vineyards throughout Columbia Valley. The 2015 vintage Syrah has white pepper, blackberry, and caramel aromas, with spicy, toasty notes and chocolate-covered dried cherries on the palate. Tannins are moderate. Pair with lamb shanks, grilled sausage, or spinach and mushroom lasagna. VINTAGE AND VINEYARDS The Syrah was grown in three areas within Columbia Valley. Horse Heaven Hills (88.5%) and Snipes Mountain (9.5%) are two very dry and warm areas that have optimum conditions for ripening red varietals. In Yakima Valley vineyards (2%), conditions are slightly cooler, allowing the Syrah to ripen slowly and develop its peppery character. WINEMAKING The grapes were picked during the late afternoon, when the fruit is warm, to encourage fermentation. After fermenting to dryness, the wine was inoculated for malolactic fermentation and aged for a year in American and French oak barrels, with 25% new oak.