{"product_id":"cayuse-flying-pig-2021","title":"Cayuse Flying Pig","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Bordeaux blend from a cult Syrah house. Roughly 2,500 bottles. Almost nobody outside the list ever sees one.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlying Pig is the outlier in the Cayuse lineup, and that's exactly why collectors chase it.Christophe Baron's Cayuse wines are among the most sought-after and difficult to find in the U.S. — the entire annual production is sold exclusively to his wine club members, making any retail bottle a rare-as-hen's-teeth find. And while he's best known for Syrah and Grenache blends, Baron also grows outstanding Bordeaux varietals, with the Flying Pig built on Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe backstory is now Washington legend.Cayuse was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a native of France who grew up in a family of vignerons in Champagne and could have spent his life making elegant Champagne. Instead he became a trailblazer with an instinct for undiscovered terroir — drawn to a stretch of cobblestone riverbed in Walla Walla.This stony soil, this terroir, was just like that of some of the most prestigious French vineyards, and those stones work the way they do in Châteauneuf: absorbing the sun's heat, then radiating it back into the fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFruit comes from the estate's Cailloux and En Cerise vineyards, farmed biodynamically. En Cerise translates to \"cherry,\" appropriate since this 10-acre vineyard planted in 1998 was once a cherry orchard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat to expect in the glass\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pig has a remarkably consistent signature across vintages — savory, stony, floral-edged, and medium- to full-bodied rather than blockbuster:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eColour:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emedium ruby with a purple rim\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNose:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eblack cherry and dusty plum skin, crushed violets, cedar, dried herbs and turned earth, with a kiss of that Rocks umami character in the background\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePalate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eround and succulent, exploding with energy and a beautiful balance between dark fruit skin and earth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFinish:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ea food-friendly, tannic grip holding through a long, lingering, ever-evolving close\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eServe:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003edecant 60–90 minutes, 62–65°F (17–18°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTrack record\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis label consistently lands in the mid-90s:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2022\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— 97 points, International Wine Report; 94 points, James Suckling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2021\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— 96 points, Wine Advocate; 95 points, Jeb Dunnuck; 94 points, Wine Enthusiast; 93 points, Wine Spectator\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2020\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— 96 points, Wine Enthusiast; 94 points, James Suckling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAggregate\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— 93\/100 across 103 critic reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eIn the cellar\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHouse practice is 18 months in French oak, 30% new, which in the 2023 release shifted toward mainly neutral French oak (70%). Production is minuscule — just under 2,500 bottles in a comparable vintage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePerfect with\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeef, venison and game, mature hard cheeses and mushrooms. Smoked brisket, rack of lamb with herbs, duck, grilled ribeye, wild mushroom ragù. And yes — pork shoulder is on-theme.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"message-markdown-table\"\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWine\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlying Pig 2024\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrapes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCabernet Franc (54%), Merlot (37%) , Cabernet Sauvignon\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e(9%)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAppellation\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWalla Walla Valley AVA\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVineyards\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCailloux \u0026amp; En Cerise (estate)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFarming\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBiodynamic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAgeing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~18 months French oak\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e(new-oak % — confirm)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eABV\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cem\u003e[confirm — the label runs 13.4–14.8%]\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinemaker\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eChristophe Baron\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProduction\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e~2,500 bottles\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e(confirm)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSize\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e750ml\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCellar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eExcellent with air now; 10–15 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Handcrafted","offers":[{"title":"750ml \/ 2024","offer_id":43030687023289,"sku":"","price":189.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0571\/7819\/4105\/products\/CayuseFlyingPig2020.jpg?v=1673514316","url":"https:\/\/gooddropwineshoppe.com\/products\/cayuse-flying-pig-2021","provider":"Good Drop Wine Shoppe","version":"1.0","type":"link"}