Cayuse The Lovers 2015

Cayuse The Lovers 2015 is a 750ml biodynamic Walla Walla Valley red blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah at approximately 14.4% ABV. This vintage earned 95 points from both William Kelley and Jeb Dunnuck at The Wine Advocate, plus 97 points from Owen Bargreen, placing it among the most critically acclaimed Washington reds of its vintage.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~14.4%  |  Origin: Walla Walla Valley, Washington State  |  Vintage: 2015  |  Winery: Cayuse Vineyards

Production & Heritage

Cayuse Vineyards was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a Champagne-born vigneron who recognized that the basalt cobblestone soils of Walla Walla bore a striking resemblance to the stony terroirs of Châteauneuf-du-Pape — Baron has described the dry soil as partly composed of rocks the size of potatoes. The Lovers draws from biodynamically farmed vines planted in 2001 in those cobblestones, and the 2015 vintage spent 21 months aging in 30% new French oak barrels. Baron has called this cuvée "our answer to Palmer's Alter Ego," though he acknowledges it tends toward greater concentration and richer extract than that Margaux second wine.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with an intense infusion of dark berries and cassis, complicated by flinty minerality, warm gravel, and charcuterie-like savory depth. Orange zest, smoky edges, and black olive tapenade nuances develop as the wine breathes.

Taste: The palate delivers remarkable depth and intensity of dark fruit — mature plums and crushed blackberries arrive on entry, followed by currant fruit, cocoa nib, and layers of spice at mid-palate. A wonderful saline character emerges alongside wet stone, black raspberry liqueur, black tea, and an unmistakable umami quality that signals the basalt cobblestone terroir.

Finish: The finish is long and textured, carrying tobacco, subtle cedar, hints of tar, and earthy undergrowth. That flinty, stony minerality persists through the close, giving the wine a sense of tension and place that lingers well after the last sip.

How to Drink The Lovers 2015

This wine is best served at cellar temperature (60–65°F) in a large-bowled glass. Decanting for 60–90 minutes helps the considerable aromatic complexity fully unfold. Given its structure and concentration, The Lovers 2015 is built for pure, undistracted drinking — treat it as a meditation wine rather than a cocktail ingredient. Pair it with food that matches its intensity rather than mixing it into a sangria or spritz, as doing so would obscure the terroir-driven character that defines the bottling.

Best For

• Gifting a serious collector of Washington State wines
• Anchoring a tasting flight exploring biodynamic terroir-driven reds
• Celebrating a milestone anniversary or significant personal event
• Pairing with a formal dinner featuring grilled or braised red meats

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Lovers 2015 taste like? The dominant profile centers on intense dark fruit — crushed blackberries, plums, and cassis — layered with cocoa, tobacco, wet stone minerality, and a distinctive saline-umami quality. Smoky, savory undertones and spice complexity build through a long, mineral-driven finish.

How does The Lovers 2015 compare to Alter Ego de Palmer? Winemaker Christophe Baron has described The Lovers as Cayuse's answer to Palmer's Alter Ego, the second wine of Château Palmer in Margaux. However, The Lovers generally delivers more concentration and richer extract than Alter Ego, reflecting the intensity of Walla Walla's basalt cobblestone soils versus the gravel and clay of Margaux.

Is The Lovers 2015 good for cellaring? With its firm structure, layered complexity, and 95-point critical acclaim, The Lovers 2015 has the backbone for extended aging. The combination of ripe fruit concentration and pronounced minerality suggests a drinking window that could extend through the mid-2030s with proper storage.

Where is The Lovers 2015 made? The Lovers is produced by Cayuse Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of eastern Washington State. The estate's vineyards are planted in basalt cobblestone soils that Christophe Baron found reminiscent of Châteauneuf-du-Pape when he first discovered the site in the late 1990s.

What foods pair well with The Lovers 2015? Grilled lamb chops complement the wine's savory, herbal undertones. Braised short ribs match its dark fruit concentration and tannic structure. Aged Gruyère or Comté cheese echo the wine's umami and saline notes. Mushroom risotto mirrors the earthy, undergrowth character on the finish. Seared duck breast with a blackberry reduction bridges the fruit and smoky elements.

What sizes does The Lovers 2015 come in? The Lovers 2015 is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is The Lovers 2015 worth the price? The Lovers positions as a premium-to-ultra-premium Washington red, and its consistent 95-point scores from multiple major critics — alongside the labor-intensive biodynamic farming and limited production — place it among the best values at the top tier of Walla Walla winemaking.

Why The Lovers 2015?

What separates The Lovers from the broader field of high-end Washington Cabernet blends is the singular terroir of Cayuse's biodynamic cobblestone vineyards — there is no other site in the state quite like it. The 2015 vintage captured that terroir at a high point, earning 95 points from three separate critics and 97 from Owen Bargreen. The 15% Syrah co-ferment adds a savory, meaty dimension that pure Cabernet bottlings from the region rarely achieve. For collectors drawn to wines with a genuine sense of place and the critical track record to back it up, this remains one of the most compelling bottlings Cayuse has released.