The 2014 Cayuse Bionic Frog was the winning bottle in the June Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The bottle was not decanted and paired brilliantly with a grilled New York steak.
Cayuse was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a native of France who grew up in family of winemakers in Champagne. Baron studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne, and had ambitions to make Pinot Noir in Oregon. However, on a visit to Walla Walla he found property that he believed would be perfect for growing grapes and decided to purchase the land. Elizabeth Bourcier is the Vigneron at Cayuse.
Bionic Frog fruit is sourced from Coccinelle Vineyard. The 4.5 acre plot was planted in 1998.
Dark crimson in color. 13.5% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, olive brine, smoked meats and iron. Full bodied with perfect acidity. Concentration and power in spades. Black cherry, tapenade, cassis and minerals on the palate. The finish is exceptionally long and supple. Certainly on the short list of best Bionic Frog ever produced. Stunning now but this will drink well for at least another 5-7 years.
My rating: 98 points.
The waiting list for the Cayuse mailing list is huge and you need to be well-connected to get a bottle via retail. Either way, current vintages are worth the hunt!
The Christophe Baron portfolio, known as Bionic Wines, includes Cayuse, Horsepower , No Girls, Hors Categorie and Champagne Christophe Baron. I am not sure what is next on the horizon for Christophe but I look forward to being a part of it.
I blogged about Cayuse previously in The 2020 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings, Winery Mailing Lists: The Fab 5, Cayuse Vineyards – Better than Ever and recently with The 2023 Cayuse Release Party.