2016 Hard Row to Hoe Syrah Lake Chelan, WA
Expressive syrah from a real up and coming cool climate area of Washington state, drinking perfectly right now. Restrained and classy, it had the usual black raspberry and blueberry syrah fruit with a splash of deli ham and fennel. Medium bodied, silky tannins, good finish. Delightful.
This winery is located on a point of land that is pretty much the end of the road on the north side of Lake Chelan. Way uplake, beyond sight, was once a mine. Miners reached the mine by boat setting off from just about where this winery is located and lived onsite for months at a time. So of course, where horny men go, so does a certain kind of woman. Eventually the mine closed and a logging operation started up on the other shore. An enterprising local then set up a taxi service between the two establishments with a small rowboat. Hence, Hard Row to Ho, with an 'e' added in honor of the winery's difficult topography.