2010 Reynvaan Family Syrah In the Rocks
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Tasting notes
The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA fruit. So very herbal with lavender, sagebrush, wild thyme and wet earth. Still, there's ripe black cherry here after 12 years! Fruit is dark and flavours are deep and savoury with a velvety mouthfeel and plush tannin. Intense and long on the palate. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
More meaty and wild, with notions of forest floor, mossy river rock, lavender, pepper and black cherry, the 2010 Syrah In The Rocks has additional depth and richness on the palate, with fantastic precision and edge to its texture and finish. Where the Foothills Reserve is up-front and ready to go, this seems to be holding back slightly and will benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar. It will impress for 10-12 years or more. Drink 2015-2027. Made by Matt Reynvaan, with consulting help from Christophe Baron of Cayuse, these impeccably made wines deliver unique, perfumed and complex profiles that could come from nowhere else than the Walla Walla Valley. In addition, their ability to deliver stunning richness and depth, with no apparent weight, puts them up near the top of the Washington State hierarchy. Going forward, the plan is to produce three co-fermented reds and two pure Syrahs: the Unnamed Syrah co-fermented with Grenache Blanc; the In The Rocks co-fermented with Viognier; the Contender co-fermented with Marsanne; and both the Foothills Reserve and Stonessence made from 100% Syrah. In addition to these brilliant reds, I was blown away by their whites and they are easily the most exciting white wines I was able to taste from the state. Don’t miss these wines! Tel. (509) 525-3462; www.reynvaanfamilyvineyards.com
Good bright, dark red. Very sexy, nuanced aromas of cherry, woodsmoke, spices, flowers and black olive; perfumed in a northern Rhone way. Silky and tactile on the palate, with a restrained sweetness nicely complemented by a savory saline quality that does not come at the expense of fresh fruit. Real umami texture here. Very gentle and harmonious wine with intense flavors of black pepper and violet. Finishes with suave, fine-grained tannins and excellent length. This aromatically complex, very long wine is accessible right now but has the balance to age. (Unfortunately, this and the Unnamed syrah were the only new Reynvaan releases I could get my hands on.)