Syrah-focused Tenet Wines project launched

STE. MICHELLE Wine Estates, Michel Gassier, and Philippe Cambie have launched Tenet Wines, a joint project to raise the profile of Syrah and other Rhone varieties from Washington State, USA.

The collaboration comprises “Tenet” GSM (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre) and “The Pundit” Syrah from Washington State’s Columbia Valley, and “Le Fervent” Syrah from the Costieres de Nimes in France's Rhone Valley.  

Ste. Michelle winemaker Bob Bertheau and Gassier will be co-winemakers, while Cambie will serve as consulting oenologist. The three winemakers will use their knowledge of Syrah and other Rhone varieties to grow vineyard sites to their specifications from bud break to harvest.

Bertheau will direct picking decisions, phenolic profiles and tannin management. Gassier and Cambie will oversee stem inclusion and whole cluster fermentation and extended maceration. The winemakers will also collaborate in assembling the final wines.