Dark fruit and licorice drip from this sapid wine. Texturally the wine is large and lavish, but it's mineral vein keeps a sense of place always in the forefront. Lots of length on this very pretty wine. Although, it may be a little too decadent for my regular drinking taste. Decant if drinking any time soon.
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Popped and poured. This is a dark purple wine. The nose is closed at first, but eventually unfolds to blueberry, blackberry, and leather aspects. In the mouth, this is midweight, with some nice structure and a velvety mouthfeel. The finish is chewy and continues the black fruit theme. Overall, I found this to be a very young and primary wine, but one with a lot of potential for improvement over the next 10+ years. This is a unique and quality project that I hope succeeds. I didn’t get any “Rocks funk” on this experience, which is okay since that trait is readily available elsewhere; I’m pleased to see some producers in the region going for some different elements in their wines. 92 points.
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Dried flower scents against asphalt. Lovely and room-filing nose. Caramelized blueberries and strawberries, cracked pepper and savory spice. Charcoal and wet stones. Full and richly mouth coating, even after lots of hours open it holds a tannic tingle but without force or heft. Held up really well over three nights.
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Unmistakable Rocks signature, tempered with elegance. Two hour decant put this in a lovely spot, and it carried through overnight on the counter. Nothing but upside to holding for 3-5+ years, but really nice now with air.
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Decanted 3 hours. There is a real purity here that just screams "Todd Alexander". He's got a certain touch with Rhone varietals that amazes me. Nearly every Syrah or Grenache I've had from Todd has this amazingly pure "essence" of each specific grape that is so delicious. Whatever I love about Syrah is in his Syrah, etc. ad nauseum. This wine is exactly what I would expect from a Rocks vineyard Syrah made by Todd. It is Rocks Syrah in it's most purest form. Elegant yet primal at the same time. Black and blue fruit with just the barest hint of that Rocks Funk, an iodine-like sanguineous flavor, pipe tobacco, oak, and espresso coffee. This is really too young to get any tertiary flavors, but I foresee a long life of evolution here and expect much development. Really excited about this new label and where it's going. Drink now with a 2+ hour decant through 2033+.
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93+. It’s an infant. Bottle decant. Red meat. Baked sweet potato, but not sweetened up. I’ve found Rocks District Syrahs to be, uhm, quirky. I like them a lot, but they seem to defy terroir. I’ve had bright, lively wines from here and dark brooding behemoths. This wine flirts with both but to me lands solidly on the muscled up, in for the long haul, inky garnet, full contact Syrahs. At first the wine popped with acid along with the red fruit. Wonderful richness on the nose with tobacco. Later on. Holy mack erel. This wine moved from “cool and interesting” to “dang, I didn’t buy enough”. Great complexity showing in the glass. Wonderful mouthfeel and finish. Just an incredibly well made wine.
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Bright ruby color. Nose of candied red fruit, savory/meat, mineral. Richly textured palate showing bright red and blue fruit, spice. Good length and energy through the mid palate. Medium/full body, long finish.
Excellent showing...interesting and well made wine from a up and coming appellation. Would like to have given it more time to open, great now but should improve with some cellar time. Will look to get on their list!
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6 hour decant. Amazing candy like nose. Gorgeous concentrated red and blue fruit. Citrus and Floral notes. Very mild rocks funk. Finish is long. Texture is the star of the show here. Having enjoyed the k vintners syrah from this vineyard on many occasions, this wine is different. It’s all about purity of fruit, texture and elegance. Delish. Oh and the bottle, label, and packaging is all really thoughtfully designed.
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Jet black in color. 14% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, citrus, olives and charred meats. Medium body with strong acidity. Rustic and fruit forward. Black cherry, salmonberry, blood and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Exceedingly approachable with just an hour in the decanter. This is the wine to drink on the early side while the other two lay sideways. Best over the next 4-6 years.
4/28/2024 - driftless Likes this wine:
Dark fruit and licorice drip from this sapid wine. Texturally the wine is large and lavish, but it's mineral vein keeps a sense of place always in the forefront. Lots of length on this very pretty wine. Although, it may be a little too decadent for my regular drinking taste. Decant if drinking any time soon.
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2/17/2024 - whitmanlholt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Popped and poured. This is a dark purple wine. The nose is closed at first, but eventually unfolds to blueberry, blackberry, and leather aspects. In the mouth, this is midweight, with some nice structure and a velvety mouthfeel. The finish is chewy and continues the black fruit theme. Overall, I found this to be a very young and primary wine, but one with a lot of potential for improvement over the next 10+ years. This is a unique and quality project that I hope succeeds. I didn’t get any “Rocks funk” on this experience, which is okay since that trait is readily available elsewhere; I’m pleased to see some producers in the region going for some different elements in their wines. 92 points.
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1/26/2024 - Ewhite30 Likes this wine:
Dried flower scents against asphalt. Lovely and room-filing nose. Caramelized blueberries and strawberries, cracked pepper and savory spice. Charcoal and wet stones. Full and richly mouth coating, even after lots of hours open it holds a tannic tingle but without force or heft. Held up really well over three nights.
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1/8/2024 - lmsmoge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Definite rocks. Blue fruits, bacon fat. This was good
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7/5/2023 - SacFrench Likes this wine: 98 Points
This wine just keeps getting better. Big blue fruit, bacon fat and leather.
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6/10/2023 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
Unmistakable Rocks signature, tempered with elegance. Two hour decant put this in a lovely spot, and it carried through overnight on the counter. Nothing but upside to holding for 3-5+ years, but really nice now with air.
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11/13/2022 - RPerro Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3 hours. There is a real purity here that just screams "Todd Alexander". He's got a certain touch with Rhone varietals that amazes me. Nearly every Syrah or Grenache I've had from Todd has this amazingly pure "essence" of each specific grape that is so delicious. Whatever I love about Syrah is in his Syrah, etc. ad nauseum. This wine is exactly what I would expect from a Rocks vineyard Syrah made by Todd. It is Rocks Syrah in it's most purest form. Elegant yet primal at the same time. Black and blue fruit with just the barest hint of that Rocks Funk, an iodine-like sanguineous flavor, pipe tobacco, oak, and espresso coffee. This is really too young to get any tertiary flavors, but I foresee a long life of evolution here and expect much development. Really excited about this new label and where it's going. Drink now with a 2+ hour decant through 2033+.
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12/9/2021 - jrglm Likes this wine: 93 Points
93+. It’s an infant. Bottle decant. Red meat. Baked sweet potato, but not sweetened up.
I’ve found Rocks District Syrahs to be, uhm, quirky. I like them a lot, but they seem to defy terroir. I’ve had bright, lively wines from here and dark brooding behemoths. This wine flirts with both but to me lands solidly on the muscled up, in for the long haul, inky garnet, full contact Syrahs. At first the wine popped with acid along with the red fruit. Wonderful richness on the nose with tobacco.
Later on. Holy mack erel. This wine moved from “cool and interesting” to “dang, I didn’t buy enough”.
Great complexity showing in the glass. Wonderful mouthfeel and finish. Just an incredibly well made wine.
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6/3/2021 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Impromptu Lunch with Juan and Tom (Market, St Helena): Juan brought this one...nice to be introduced to this wine. I think the first vintage of this. PnP.
Bright ruby color. Nose of candied red fruit, savory/meat, mineral. Richly textured palate showing bright red and blue fruit, spice. Good length and energy through the mid palate. Medium/full body, long finish.
Excellent showing...interesting and well made wine from a up and coming appellation. Would like to have given it more time to open, great now but should improve with some cellar time. Will look to get on their list!
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5/22/2021 - jeffmudd Likes this wine: 93 Points
First vintage and I think this has great potential. Give it a couple of years.
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5/13/2021 - Clark W Griswold Likes this wine: 94 Points
6 hour decant. Amazing candy like nose. Gorgeous concentrated red and blue fruit. Citrus and Floral notes. Very mild rocks funk. Finish is long. Texture is the star of the show here. Having enjoyed the k vintners syrah from this vineyard on many occasions, this wine is different. It’s all about purity of fruit, texture and elegance. Delish. Oh and the bottle, label, and packaging is all really thoughtfully designed.
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5/9/2021 - SacFrench Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent wine
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5/8/2021 - tomlee wrote: 93 Points
Jet black in color. 14% ABV. Savory nose of red fruits, citrus, olives and charred meats. Medium body with strong acidity. Rustic and fruit forward. Black cherry, salmonberry, blood and pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Exceedingly approachable with just an hour in the decanter. This is the wine to drink on the early side while the other two lay sideways. Best over the next 4-6 years.
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