David Lawrason: 2018 Syrah Cuvee Violette

Cuvee Violette has arguably been the benchmark for affordable Okanagan Syrah for the last few years. It is the least expensive in the portfolio of winemaker Severine Pinte, who was trained and worked with this grape in southern France. But the only thing “lesser” compared to its more expensive peers is weight and concentration. Otherwise it is very finely balanced, pretty and very much a syrah, with ripe plummy fruit, violets and trademark pepper. It is medium-full bodied with balanced, warming 13.5% alcohol, fresh acidity in this cooler year and finely parsed dusty tannin. There is a touch of green on the finish, along with licorice and pepper. The length is very good to excellent.