This bottle drank more like a Foillard Morgon than ESJ, for better or worse. Pomegranate and Serviceberry. Never found the next level though, even after a few days of bring open.
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Buoyant and jubilant with a fresh crunchiness akin to Cru Beaujolais. Great aromatics but lacking a bit in texture and persistence, can't quite tell if this has the stuffing to go the distance and complete the transformation. 1/6
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5 hours in the decanter. Very light in mouthfeel, lots of blue fruit, sour cherry, good acid. Still a lot of tannins left here, even with all of the air. Love Edmunds St. John.
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It’s a multi-year goodbye to the last vintage of ESJ Rocks & Gravel. My last bottle prior to this one was a few years ago, and I would never have predicted this trajectory. Perhaps it’s still in a middle/developing phase, as it’s showing much more light bodied than expected. There’s some real elegance, with red fruit and subtle framing tannins. The dusty, earthy undercurrents have not developed yet, so I will stay hands off my remaining bottles. In several more years it will likely have more to say, though it will do so in a quiet, but firm voice.
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47% Mourvedre, 39% Grenache, 14% Syrah but definitely could have fooled most people into thinking that it was a Pinot. Very transparent and aromatic wine, plenty of strawberry fruit and firm tannins but no tell-tale signs of sweetness or extraction from typical GSM blends. Beautifully balanced wine, and with time it put on weight and definition. Definitely can age further but why wait since it's so delicious now? One of the best discoveries that I've made so far.
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Another old-world styled wine from California, not too long after tasting Pax's Sonoma Hillsides. Who on earth else make a wine like this- one which so many people agree is delicious and yet totally unrecognizable as what is advertised? Seriously- a mourvedre heavy GSM that is so much like a light and traditional Cru beaujolais that I was picturing them putting on the wrong label. Pretty much what everyone else says: wild, half ripe strawberry, lightly stony, and a bit of nice, stemmy savory nuance.
I didn't find it to be too complex, not even on day 2, and it has a pretty long finish, but it was mostly just tart fruit. Not the kind of wine that lets you get lost in a world of evolving tastes, but definitely a delicious one that is a little more exciting than the average thirst quencher. One the one hand, I've had a number of wines that taste like it- definitely a couple examples from Brouilly. But for what it's worth, it's also a fun example of how grapes and winemaking are more than capable of subverting our expectations.
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Blueberries and barnyard... good barnyard.... flowers, leather, damp earth, bitter herbs, oolong tea, small tart dark fruits... like tart wild blueberries. Crazy light and transparent for a wine that is 47% Mourvedre. Lovely, long and extraordinarily elegant. Nobody would guess this as a Cali Rhone blend in blind tasting... or at least I dunno how I would. Delightful and truly distinctive.
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The 2015 "Rocks and Gravel" is very good but hard to imagine it comes from a GSM blend, as it screams whole cluster Pinot noir. Bright, wild strawberry, violet, and a subtle impression of earth on the nose give way to a lightweight, vibrant palate with flavors of strawberry and earth. Nice acidity. Floral finish. This will be the last vintage of this cuvée, unfortunately.
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Medium ruby color. Nose of ripe wild strawberry and earth. Full bodied and silky on the palate with a lot of floral character and a hint of ripe tannins on the finish.
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Very opaque (surprisingly so). Decanted for an hour before tasting. Strawberry and a light bit of oak on the nose. Beautiful fruit (strawberry and blackberry). Still a bit high in acidity giving a not unpleasant sour cherry finish. Very good now, could be great in a few years.
My first Edmunds St. John, and sad to see that this blend will no longer be made in future vintages. A lovely delicate, mourvedre-driven GSM blend with some savory character. Nose of dried strawberries and cranberry, funk, and herbs. Some dustiness. On the palate I get more floral notes (roses, violets) in addition to the fruit. Medium body but good structure. Medium plus finish. Would like to find more of these.
High toned and pretty. Mourvèdre is the main grape here and it is a pretty blend. Bordering on feminine. Typical Edmund goodness. Easily age for a decade.
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Medium ruby red was surprised at color Funk on the nose which reminded me some of The Rocks in Washington. Seemed more Grenache than Mouvedre with dirty strawberries, dusty rocks, herbs. Very nice.
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This is the last vintage for Rocks & Gravel (Steve lost access to the fruit), and it's going out with style. About half Mourvèdre, with the rest split about 35/15 Grenache/Syrah, the wine speaks in a low tone of voice. The fruit is red, but ripe and deep, though never sweet. Herb, spice and mineral aromas back it up, singing in the exact same key. It actually feels a little closed in, as if I missed that open window on a new(ish) R&G bottling, though air brings more delineation and a touch more volume. I followed the bottle (not decanted) over about three hours, and it kept to that same dark yet quiet song. The structure asserted itself as a back end firmness, never becoming harsh or drying. There looks to be a long period of unfolding in the future for this wine, probably starting to come into its own maybe 7-8 years from now based on other vintages of R&G, with a lengthy period of fine drinking after that. For now I will leave the rest of my case, and allow it to evolve the way nearly every ESJ wine does, with harmony and grace.
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4/3/2024 - andtheodor wrote: 88 Points
This bottle drank more like a Foillard Morgon than ESJ, for better or worse. Pomegranate and Serviceberry. Never found the next level though, even after a few days of bring open.
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1/20/2023 - andtheodor wrote: 87 Points
Buoyant and jubilant with a fresh crunchiness akin to Cru Beaujolais. Great aromatics but lacking a bit in texture and persistence, can't quite tell if this has the stuffing to go the distance and complete the transformation. 1/6
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3/9/2022 - adnorthup wrote:
5 hours in the decanter. Very light in mouthfeel, lots of blue fruit, sour cherry, good acid. Still a lot of tannins left here, even with all of the air. Love Edmunds St. John.
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10/8/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
It’s a multi-year goodbye to the last vintage of ESJ Rocks & Gravel. My last bottle prior to this one was a few years ago, and I would never have predicted this trajectory. Perhaps it’s still in a middle/developing phase, as it’s showing much more light bodied than expected. There’s some real elegance, with red fruit and subtle framing tannins. The dusty, earthy undercurrents have not developed yet, so I will stay hands off my remaining bottles. In several more years it will likely have more to say, though it will do so in a quiet, but firm voice.
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2/11/2021 - melvinyeowq Likes this wine:
47% Mourvedre, 39% Grenache, 14% Syrah but definitely could have fooled most people into thinking that it was a Pinot. Very transparent and aromatic wine, plenty of strawberry fruit and firm tannins but no tell-tale signs of sweetness or extraction from typical GSM blends. Beautifully balanced wine, and with time it put on weight and definition. Definitely can age further but why wait since it's so delicious now? One of the best discoveries that I've made so far.
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7/29/2020 - christyler Likes this wine: 92 Points
Love the lightness and texture here.
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4/22/2019 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Another old-world styled wine from California, not too long after tasting Pax's Sonoma Hillsides. Who on earth else make a wine like this- one which so many people agree is delicious and yet totally unrecognizable as what is advertised? Seriously- a mourvedre heavy GSM that is so much like a light and traditional Cru beaujolais that I was picturing them putting on the wrong label. Pretty much what everyone else says: wild, half ripe strawberry, lightly stony, and a bit of nice, stemmy savory nuance.
I didn't find it to be too complex, not even on day 2, and it has a pretty long finish, but it was mostly just tart fruit. Not the kind of wine that lets you get lost in a world of evolving tastes, but definitely a delicious one that is a little more exciting than the average thirst quencher. One the one hand, I've had a number of wines that taste like it- definitely a couple examples from Brouilly. But for what it's worth, it's also a fun example of how grapes and winemaking are more than capable of subverting our expectations.
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2/2/2019 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
Blueberries and barnyard... good barnyard.... flowers, leather, damp earth, bitter herbs, oolong tea, small tart dark fruits... like tart wild blueberries. Crazy light and transparent for a wine that is 47% Mourvedre. Lovely, long and extraordinarily elegant. Nobody would guess this as a Cali Rhone blend in blind tasting... or at least I dunno how I would. Delightful and truly distinctive.
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1/5/2019 - rlove wrote: 91 Points
The 2015 "Rocks and Gravel" is very good but hard to imagine it comes from a GSM blend, as it screams whole cluster Pinot noir. Bright, wild strawberry, violet, and a subtle impression of earth on the nose give way to a lightweight, vibrant palate with flavors of strawberry and earth. Nice acidity. Floral finish. This will be the last vintage of this cuvée, unfortunately.
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12/21/2018 - dougsmith Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium ruby color. Nose of ripe wild strawberry and earth. Full bodied and silky on the palate with a lot of floral character and a hint of ripe tannins on the finish.
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2/23/2018 - adnorthup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very opaque (surprisingly so). Decanted for an hour before tasting. Strawberry and a light bit of oak on the nose. Beautiful fruit (strawberry and blackberry). Still a bit high in acidity giving a not unpleasant sour cherry finish. Very good now, could be great in a few years.
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2/13/2018 - rieslinghoarder Likes this wine: 92 Points
My first Edmunds St. John, and sad to see that this blend will no longer be made in future vintages. A lovely delicate, mourvedre-driven GSM blend with some savory character. Nose of dried strawberries and cranberry, funk, and herbs. Some dustiness. On the palate I get more floral notes (roses, violets) in addition to the fruit. Medium body but good structure. Medium plus finish. Would like to find more of these.
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11/2/2017 - lolo66 wrote:
High toned and pretty. Mourvèdre is the main grape here and it is a pretty blend. Bordering on feminine. Typical Edmund goodness. Easily age for a decade.
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10/8/2017 - cpsmith33 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium ruby red was surprised at color
Funk on the nose which reminded me some of The Rocks in Washington. Seemed more Grenache than Mouvedre with dirty strawberries, dusty rocks, herbs. Very nice.
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9/15/2017 - Rieslingfan wrote:
This is the last vintage for Rocks & Gravel (Steve lost access to the fruit), and it's going out with style. About half Mourvèdre, with the rest split about 35/15 Grenache/Syrah, the wine speaks in a low tone of voice. The fruit is red, but ripe and deep, though never sweet. Herb, spice and mineral aromas back it up, singing in the exact same key. It actually feels a little closed in, as if I missed that open window on a new(ish) R&G bottling, though air brings more delineation and a touch more volume. I followed the bottle (not decanted) over about three hours, and it kept to that same dark yet quiet song. The structure asserted itself as a back end firmness, never becoming harsh or drying. There looks to be a long period of unfolding in the future for this wine, probably starting to come into its own maybe 7-8 years from now based on other vintages of R&G, with a lengthy period of fine drinking after that. For now I will leave the rest of my case, and allow it to evolve the way nearly every ESJ wine does, with harmony and grace.
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