Photo of the Costco display for the 2017 Syrah called The Pundit from Tenet Wines

A Delicious 94 point Syrah – $9.99 at Costco!

Fast Facts:

  • 2017 Tenet Wines The Pundit Syrah, Columbia Valley, Washington ($9.99* @Costco in California – Item #1209292)

*net price after $6 in store discount

 

Like so many of our wine finds, this one really jumped out as a wine with good prospects.  It was case stacked on the end aisle at my local Costco and I took note of two things for starters. First was the fact it was displaying a $6 discount off of its $15.99 regular price, netting out at $9.99.  Second, James Suckling had awarded this wine 94 points. Which is darn good, even after I deduct the 2 points that the esteemed Mr. Suckling always seems to add to my own score.  So a bottle went into my cart.

Some additional research showed that this wine was for sale at the winery for $25, although it is shown on their website as sold out.  Total Wines & More still has some bottles, also at $25. So here we have a 92/94 point wine selling at over half price – 60% off to be precise. I couldn’t wait to try it, but I did. And when I finally did, it was love at first sip. I am a big fan of many of the wines coming out of the Pacific Northwest, but this wine tasted like a really nice hybrid of the best of new world Syrah and the “old world” Syrahs that are made in the Rhone Valley of France. Some additional digging revealed that there is a reason for that.

A Marriage of New World and Old World

Turns out that Tenet Wines is a collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Head Winemaker Bob Bertheau and his Washington team, along with Rhône Valley collaborators, winemaker Michel Gassier and enology consultant Philippe Cambie. The Tenet Wines website claims: “the combination of the two winemaking approaches produces wines that are balanced and vibrant and have a true sense of place.”

I think they have succeeded in a big way here.

 

Bottle and glass of 2017 The Pundit Syrah from Tenet Wines and Costco

Election week calls for a Pundit or two

Tasting Notes:
The color is deep ruby with garnet highlights. Very complex and fragrant with mixed berry jam, citrus and earthy aromas that  are complemented by a brambly, subtle meaty character common in Syrah blends from the Rhône Valley of France.  A smooth mouthfeel glides into a long silky finish with flavors of juicy blueberry, hints of tobacco and subtle gamey undertones.
This is what we call in the wine business a “big ass wine”.  Yeah, it’s a technical term.  The blend here is 90% Syrah, 4% Grenache, 4% Mourvèdre, 2% Viognier.  Note the inclusion of the white viognier grape with 98% red grapes.  This addition to of a small amount of Viognier to Syrah is not uncommon, as the aromatics complement the Syrah.  This wine would pair really well with roasted meats, hard cheeses and all by itself watching election results by the fire.
A bit about the Columbia Valley:

Columbia Valley AVA is the largest wine region in the state of Washington, including over 11,000,000 acres, of which over 50,000 acres are planted to vineyards. The Columbia Valley AVA includes 99% of the total vineyard area planted in the state of Washington. Grapes grown here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. The unique climates of the area allow the Columbia Valley to produce wines that are very fruit-forward, like California wines to the south, but which also retain some of the balance and structure of European wine.

 

Need More Wine Picks from Costco – or Trader Joe’s Even?

If you are headed to Costco, prepare by taking a gander at our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.

And if your shopping finds you at Trader Joe’s, you can find our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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