2020 Smoke Taint Wines 1/3 ain’t bad but 2 are!

October 31, 2024 1 Comment

One of the nice things about being an independent wine reviewer that makes really good money elsewhere is that I don’t work for the industry. I personally can’t believe the scores 2 of these wines received and they are clearly smoke tainted. Some of my favorite wineries from Washington Kevin White & Januik had some really bad smoke tainted wines as well from the 2020 vintage. When tasting at Januik this past summer I was able to educate my niece about what to look for in smoke tainted wines.

  1. Chalkiness in a red wine. Normally you will find this in Champagne or Sparkling wines but not common in red wines and on smoke tainted wines it is really overwhelming whereas in Champagne added complexity to the wine. This really dries out your mouth.
  2. Smoke or charcoal dominating and hiding the fruit that should be there. A young wine should be showing nice fruit early in its drinking window.

I have tasted more wines from 2020 in Washington that did not show smoke taint then have. Here are some examples and could keep going.

2020 Result of a Crush Syrah Reserve – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (4/13/2023)
Day 1: To say this is a powerful wine would be an understatement. This is not for the faint of heart but I love it. This wine should truly be an epic 3 day wine transformation. On the pop and pour it is almost overpowering featuring black olives, funk, spice, roasted meats, dark fruits and tar. Giving this a solid 10 minutes to mellow out and fantastic. I could easily see this acquiring the highest score from their entire lineup. Right now it is 94+ but I think that will go up over the next 4 or 5 glasses. 94 points
Day 2: This is not as intense but the interest level on this wine grabs my attention. There is a lot going on here. Black pepper, roasted meats, spices, earth, little barnyard, smoke and dark fruits. This is still intense for most wines but pop and pour is almost too much. Again amazing effort and would advise a SIX hour minimum decant if consuming on day 1. This will be a 4 day for sure. 94 points
Day 4: Skipped day 3 and man is this still showing well. Tar, stone, black pepper, barnyard, roasted meats, iodine, spices, dark fruits and black olives. Result of a Crush has truly crushed this one. 95+ points
Recommendation: $38.50 you will not find many better wines in the world and certainly not from the Rhone. (95 points)

WTSO had a 2020 K Vintners Sale and two of these wines are just not drinkable for me. I was optimistic as the “pro reviewers” and even cellar tracker liked the two smoke tainted wines so I would really question all of their palates. The first wine was beautiful and no smoke taint what so ever. Highly recommend it.

  • 2020 K Vintners Syrah Cattle King Upland Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Snipes Mountain (10/31/2024)
    Day 1: Natural cork. After trying two from the Powerline Vineyard this is a refreshing difference in quality. All on the same shipment but this wine is not showing smoke taint and yes and I am super accurate and sensitive to it. A powerful wine with oak, blackberries, spice, earth, cherry, coffee beans and rose petals. Loving this wine and will be looking to get more. 94 points
    Day 2: Black olives, spices, earth, coffee beans, dark fruits, light charcoal, cherry, dried flowers and black pepper. Complex offering that should drink well from now until 2030. 93 points
    Day 3: One of the few young wines that fell off over 3 days. Earth, charcoal, dried flowers, pepper and mild fruit. For sure a drink now candidate. 90 points
    Recommendation: If you can get less than $50 drink this on the younger side. (94 points)
  • Pro Reviews: Suckling 96, Vinous 95, WA 95, Dunnuck 94+, Robison 16.5+
  • Cellar Tracker: Surprising only one to review this wine.

These two are still drinkable as smoke taint wines can be but clearly not enjoyable compared to other vintages.

  • 2020 K Vintners Syrah Powerline Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/30/2024)
    Day 1: Not showing the normal fruit you would expect from this wine. Smoke taint for sure with plum, dirt, spice and tar. Short to medium finish. Concerns.
    Day 2: Not as bad as the Creator but getting some smoke taint on this wine. Burnt toast, muted fruits, spices, dirt and olives. These wines are usually bursting with flavors but not seeing it on this wine. Very concerned about these 2020 wines from K. 80 points
    Day 3: Charcoal, chalk, mild spice, light fruit and dirt. This wine is the 2nd purchased from WTSO that is clearly smoke tainted. Stay clear of the Powerline Vineyard wines.
    Recommendation: Don’t buy no matter the discount. (80 points)
  • Pro Reviewers: Sucking 97, Dunnick 96, WA 93+, Vinous 93, WS 92
  • Cellar Tracker: 90.8 (brought down by my 80 point score)
  • 2020 K Vintners The Creator – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/29/2024)
    Day 1: From WTSO for under $46 so good deal. Pop and pour and concerns with smoke taint. I have found Washington in 2020 hit or miss so will allow some time on this one to make that clear determination. Smoke, earth, dirt, spice, muted fruit and gravel. Will sample later tonight but not a good showing on a pop and pour which many Walla Walla Wines have showed better. No Score.
    Day 1.5: As one of the few honest critics this is clearly smoke taint. Fruit is muted and smoke taint very obvious. Trying to mask with wood. Will try on day 2 but smoke taint will be more present. A real shame a wine critic gave this 97.
    Day 2: This is a bit better on day 2 but the smoke is overpowering the fruit on this one. Raspberries and sour cherry with smoke and smoke, spice and black pepper. A wine that so far is not even close to any of the other vintages of the Creator. 78 points
    Day 3: A harsh, chalkiness to the wine which masks any fruit that is trying to emerge. I can tell they also oaked these wines probably more than usual to mask some of that smoke taint. All in all this wine is very poor in quality compared to any other vintages I have sampled.
    Recommendation: There was a reason WTSO dumped these wines a week or so ago as no one from the tasting room was buying them. Buyer beware. (78 points)
  • Pro Reviewers: WA 97, Dunnuck 96, Suckling 95, Vinous 93, WS 92

A few other clearly smoke tainted wines from the West Coast.

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