Cayuse, it could be argued, is the producer that truly put Washington State on the world wine map! I, personally, have only had opportunity to try a few before getting my hands on this bottle of Double Lucky 8, but the bottles I have tried have been among the most impressive examples of the Rhone red grapes I’ve ever had- from anywhere! How winemaker Christophe Baron has managed to obtain that much intensity, depth and aromatic complexity without a trace of heaviness or alcohol is something I think every winemaker in the world wonders about.  It takes a level of commitment few are able to match. 

Cayuse and the sub labels like No Girls that have spun off, represent an embodiment of Christophe’s story as a French vigneron who foresaw the potential of Walla Walla's stony soils in the ancient alluvial fan of the Blue Mountains. He chose the name "Cayuse" in tribute to the Indian tribe that lives in the region, with double entendre cailloux, the phonetic pronunciation of "stones" in French. The Cayuse line features various renditions of Syrah from various parcels – each one distinct – and a small selection of well-matched varieties such as Grenache, Tempranillo and the Bordeaux varieties. One of Christophe’s spinoffs is the oddly named No Girls. ‘No Girls’ as in the fact that until relatively recently women were excluded from the most crucial aspects of winemaking based on the belief that it was ‘man’s work.’ We know better, right? The No Girls wines, like the Double Lucky 8, are created by Karen Gasparotti, Christophe’s partner in the Bionic wine label, yet another Cayuse side project. The grapes come from a vineyard called La Paciencia (Patience) in The Stones district of Walla Walla, a vineyard a decade in the making that tested the patience of all concerned thanks to its inhospitable growing conditions.

The blend is a top secret but the most intrepid of us can guess. Grenache certainly plays a leading role, for sure, bringing all that beautiful plum and berry fruit, but other candidates include Tempranillo (that smoky, tobacco-y aspect?), Syrah?  Cabernet? The list goes on. But, really, who cares? When the wine is this good, it’s not that important to be parse it too carefully. Lovely to drink now, it will certainly keep too.