REGION: Washington

Hors Cate?gorie by Christophe Baron was planted in 2011 on the steep slope along the north bank of the Walla Walla River. The Syrah vines cling to the hillside beneath ragged cliffs and surrounded by rocky outcroppings, and their roots struggle for nourishment in the fractured basalt. An absolutely unique and rare terroir in America, Hors Cate?gorie is a treasure of American Syrah.

Christophe Baron, founder of Cayuse and Horsepower Vineyards, is the oldest son of the centuries-old Champagne house, Baron Albert, where horses did all of the vineyard cultivation as recently as 1957. Horsepower represents a return to that time - the simplicity of craftsmanship and purpose that has been largely lost in modern winemaking. It’s a window to the Old World in the New World. And yes, all farming is powered by horse.

Since 1984, winemaker Mike Januik has driven Washington state wine innovation. Since leaving Chateau St Michelle in 1999 to start out on his own, Mike, joined by his son Andrew in 2011, have crafted acclaimed, exceptional, and limited-release wines from Washington's top and most historic vineyards.

Founded in 2003, Long Shadows is the brainchild of Washington wine luminary Allen Shoup. As President & CEO of Chateau Ste. Michelle & its affiliated wineries, Allen spent 20 years building the reputation of the growing region; his relationships are with many of the best growers in Washington State.