Red Willow Vineyard Syrah
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted lamb chops, grilled ribeye steak, wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Kerloo Cellars' Red Willow Vineyard Syrah is a tribute to one of Washington State's most legendary and historic wine-growing sites. Located in the far western reaches of the Yakima Valley, Red Willow Vineyard was pioneered by Mike Sauer, who famously partnered with Master of Wine David Lake to plant the very first Syrah vines in Washington here in 1986. Sourced from these steep, rocky slopes with ancient, well-drained soils, Kerloo Cellars' expression of this fruit is crafted with a low-intervention philosophy. Winemaker Ryan Crane coaxes an Old World-leaning style from this historic terroir, showcasing the vineyard's signature savory complexity, marked by notes of smoked meats, black olive tapenade, dried herbs, and a distinct stony minerality, all balanced by deep, dark fruit.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2007 by winemaker Ryan Crane, Kerloo Cellars takes its name from the echoing call of the sandhill crane, symbolizing Crane's calling to craft authentic, terroir-driven Washington State wines. After studying viticulture and enology in Walla Walla and honing his cellar craft at Forgeron Cellars and Va Piano Vineyards, Crane built Kerloo around meticulous fruit sourcing from esteemed, sustainably farmed vineyard sites spanning the Walla Walla Valley, Yakima Valley, and Columbia Gorge. His cellaring philosophy prioritizes minimal intervention, foot-treading, native fermentations, neutral oak, and concrete maturation to highlight purity of site and varietal transparency. Kerloo built a devoted following for its cool-climate Rhone-style expressions and vibrant single-vineyard bottlings, including Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay, Boushey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, and single-site Grenache, Syrah, and Grenache Rosé from benchmark crus like Upland and Painted Hills.
🍇 Grapes
Syrah