Basel Cellars

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Basel Cellars 2004 Syrah (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $42

Pure Syrah from a great lineup of vineyards. In this freeze year the Walla Walla vineyard produced no fruit, so winemaker Trey Busch sourced his grapes from an all-star lineup including Lewis, Minick, Portteus and Columbia Crest. Densely packed with mixed purple fruits, it also sports a mix of wet leaf, earth and herb flavors that add texture and beaucoup aroma… — P.G. (11/15/2006)

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Basel Cellars 2005 Syrah (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Price $36

Winemaker Trey Busch has now moved on, but his work at Basel hit a high mark with this dense, sappy and silky Syrah. Rich and packed with purple fruits, this young, tart, snappy effort really delivers the fruit power. Raspberries, blueberries and pie cherries are welded together with toasty oak; it’s saturated and smooth, and the supple finish seems to linger forever. — P.G. (5/1/2008)

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Basel Cellars 2007 Pheasant Run Vineyard Syrah (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Editors' Choice

Price $28

Full in the mouth, rich with a mix of pastry fruits, fruitcake, baking spices, clove and coffee, this decadent pleasure is like drinking a Christmas cake. Raisins soaked in a Bourbon sauce come to mind, along with plum pudding. — P.G. (4/1/2012)

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Basel Cellars 2006 Pheasant Run Vineyard Estate Merlot (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Online Exclusive

Price $28

It’s 100% Merlot, and it doesn’t need any help from any other grapes. Extremely dark and thick in the mouth, this liquorous bruiser of a Merlot is thoroughly delicious. It’s just packed with fruit, cassis and ripe black cherries, complemented by dark chocolate notes. — P.G. (12/1/2009)

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Basel Cellars 2001 Merriment Red (Walla Walla Valley (WA))

Price $48

Basel Cellars’ inaugural vintage displays lovely buttercream, nut and mint aromas on the nose. The palate swells with juicy, ripe red plum fruit dressed in a caramel-and-nut cloak, with more of the mint, or eucalyptus, drawn out on the finish. It’s a more supple, softer-bodied wine than its components would have you believe. Drink now, and over the next five years… — W.E. (5/1/2004)

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Basel Cellars 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley (WA))

Price $32

Winemaker Trey Busch gets more confident and assured with each new vintage, and this is his best cab yet. It’s 100% cabernet sauvignon, from the Lewis, Seven Hills and Spoffard Station vineyards. Light scents suggest cherry tobacco, and cherries are the main theme here, ripened to 14.7% alcohol, but balanced, firm and packed with fruit. The blend was done right… — P.G. (4/1/2005)

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Basel Cellars 2007 Syrah (Columbia Valley (WA))

Online Exclusive

Price $24

A good, tight, plummy Washington Syrah. The fruit is showcased amid a fascinating smorgasbord of unusual (but Syrah-like) flavors: iron filings, iodine, clove, coffee, a splash of citrus. Complex, young and packed with flavor. — P.G. (7/1/2011)

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Basel Cellars 2006 Inspired Red (Columbia Valley (WA))

Online Exclusive

Price $40

Roughly three-fifths Merlot and two fifths Cabernet Franc. Though the blend and oak treatment are quite similar to the 2005, this new release comes out with far better balance and structure. The oak flavors are lighter, the tannins are polished and lightly herbal, as befits Cabernet Franc, and there is a hint of steel in the backbone of this tight, svelte effort. — P.G. (12/1/2009)

Most Reviewed Designations

Chelle den Millie Reserve Chelle den Millie Vineyard Claret Estate Estate Merriment Red Wine Estate Pheasant Run Vineyard Merriment Red Wine Inspired Red Pheasant Run Pheasant Run Vineyard Pheasant Run Vineyard Estate The Earth Series - Volume 1

Most Reviewed Varietals

Bordeaux-style Red Blend Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenère Chardonnay Claret Malbec Merlot Merlot-Cabernet Franc Red Blend Sauvignon Blanc Syrah

2009 Mira Hyde Vineyard

The esteemed Hyde Vineyard is in Carneros, and is the source for some…

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