The Wine Knows

At Saturday night's Capital Food & Wine Fest* in Lacey, Wash., Walter Dacon Wines of nearby Shelton won best in show for its 2006 C'est Syrah Beaux.

This is no fluke.

Lloyd Anderson, owner/winemaker of Walter Dacon, has been producing stunning Syrahs since his first vintage in 2003. Each year, he has crafted three separate Syrahs, called C'est Syrah Beaux, C'est Syrah Belle and C'est Syrah Magnifique. He's now adding some other varieties to his line-up, including Sangiovese, Roussanne and Marsanne.

Each year, these wines wine gold medals at regional and national competitions, and Anderson has quickly gained the attention of those who understand and appreciate great Washington Syrahs.

If you haven't tried the Walter Dacon wines, now is the time.

* Wine Press Northwest conducts the wine judging for this festival.