2008 Rasa Vineyards QED

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  Australia and the Pacific Northwest, Issue #8, 6/25/2011, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Rasa Vineyards QED) Login and sign up and see review text.

• By Stephen Tanzer
  November/December 2010, IWC Issue #153, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Rasa Vineyards QED Red Wine Walla Walla Valley) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  A focus on Washington State, Issue #4, 5/1/2010, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

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Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Library Rasa, 10/26/2018

  (Rasa Vineyards QED (Rhone Blend)) Hello friends. Today we have a library release from culty-as-ever Rasa Vineyards and winemaker (and recently awarded Master of Wine) Billo Naravane. Rasa is one of these wineries that started up right around the same time that Full Pull did: sometime towards the end of the last decade, right into the teeth of the recession. Brutal. This was an exceedingly difficult time to start a winery, but what it means for the crop of wineries launched in the late aughts is that if they’ve survived this long, they’re probably making some pretty damned good wines. And Billo has done more than survive: he has thrived, landing multiple consulting winemaking gigs in addition to his work for Rasa. Echo Ridge, Mackey, Delmas: all thought Billo was the right person to realize their vision. And while it is always fun to see what Billo does with other projects, we’ve always found it deeply exciting to experience his wines from the mothership, Rasa. Because our list has grown up alongside Billo and team, and we’ve all been enthusiastic supporters from the beginning, we all get the opportunity to access this special bottling. While the library offering is the main thrust today, but we do have two bonus reoffers below.What a treat, to taste Washington Syrah from a consummate Washington winemaker that’s ten years past that vintage. And an interesting vintage at that! 2008 was a slightly cooler growing season that produced wines with elegant structure, that prove rich yet light on their feet. Ideal for aging. Jeb Dunnuck: Copyrighted material withheld. [Note: this review was written in 2011.] We originally offered this wine on August 17, 2011, for 49.99/44.99. Here are our notes from the original offering: This is a special wine, special because it displays a character that the French call “sauvage.” There is a real wildness to the aromatics and inner-mouth perfume here that is unusual, alluring, thrilling. It seems almost dangerous. The source for much of that character is, I suspect, Block 50 of Les Collines Vineyard, the notorious “Sprawl Block” (the blend – 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, 2% Viognier – also comes from other Les Collines blocks, as well as Seven Hills vineyard). Competing gracefully with all that wild mountain fruit character are Syrah savories of pine nut, fig, and fungus. 2008 was cooler than 2007, and it shows: what 07 had in low-toned richness, this has in high-toned raciness. In each case, Billo Naravane has taken what the vintage gave him and made something profound. 7 years later, that sense of sauvage is still going strong. The Syrah savories of pint nut, fig, and fungus have intensified wonderfully, adding meaty subtleties of charcuterie and bacon, alongside garrigue and olives. The palate is still impeccably fresh—but what was once high-toned raciness has mellowed into a more of a dewy glow, allowing for some awesome tertiaries to sneak in. Stewed red fruit and fig; sarsaparilla and earth; dried herbs and sweet spices; bones and brine. What little rough edges were there to begin with have been completely sanded away by extra bottle age. If you have any curiosity about the aging potential of Washington Syrah—this is a bottle for you.

Washington Wine Report

• By Sean Sullivan
  7/20/2011, (See more on Washington Wine Report...) ***** points

  (Rasa Vineyards QED Red Wine Columbia Valley) Almost completely opaque. Intoxicating aromas of black olive juice, penetrating dark berries, game, floral notes, and whiffs of dark chocolate. The palate is textured and seamlessly put together with pure berry flavors and silky tannins. Capped off by a seemingly endless finish. 83% Syrah, 10% Grenache, 5% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. Les Collines, Double River, and Minick vineyards. Aged in French oak (22% new). 14.4% alcohol. 675 cases produced.

• By Sean Sullivan
  3/2/2010, (See more on Washington Wine Report...) ***** points

  (Rasa Vineyards QED Barrel Sample (Neutral Oak) Walla Walla Valley) Les Collines fruit shines through with floral aromas, game, earth, pepper, and streaks of blueberry. Coats the palate with exhilarating game flavors. Predominantly Les Collines Block 35 Syrah. Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Viognier. Neutral and new oak to be blended and released in 2010.

• By Sean Sullivan
  3/2/2010, (See more on Washington Wine Report...) ***** points

  (Rasa Vineyards QED Barrel Sample (New Oak) Walla Walla Valley) Dark and inky. Nose marked by floral aromas, earth, and game. A distinct spice component comes out on this wine compared to the neutral oak sample. Flavors of earth and fruit. Oak mainly shows up on the feel on the palate. Neutral and new oak to be blended and released in 2010.