Rhebokskloof Black Marble Hill Syrah 2010

Named after the French word for Crow, or Raven, this Syrah is certainly as dark as the name implies. Hailing from Discovery Vineyard, perched high above the Columbia River in the heart of the Horse Heaven Hills, these grapes were grown in a very unique terroir. Avennia's approach of old-world style, minimalist winemaking allows for full expression of the fruit, showcasing the elegant and savory side of Syrah.

"Leads with a nice balance of dark fruits—blackberry and blueberry—with more savory elements, including blackberry leaf, olive, charcuterie, and a hint of shiitake. The palate features snappy fresh black fruits, a hint of smoked meat, and a lively finish with plenty of savory elements that make this wine quite interesting. Give it a year in the cellar and enjoy over the next eight years or so." - Chris Peterson, Winemaker

Reviews:

"Aromas of blackberry and violet accented by a note of stems. Sweet, supple wine with dark fruit flavors lifted by a black-peppery topnote and accented by cinnamony Red Hots. For all its high notes, this is essentially a creamy wine with no edges. I suspect it will tighten up in bottle and eventually display a more savory aspect. Incidentally, this will be the last vintage for this bottling because, beginning with vintage 2018, Chris Peterson will introduce some new single-vineyard Syrahs from the exciting new WeatherEye vineyard on top of Red Mountain. This steep site, owned by Cameron Myhrvold and farmed by Ryan Johnson, extends over the ridgeline and onto the northern flank of Red Mountain. The project is called Red Mountain Elevated, and Peterson is making the wines. (14.5% alcohol; done mostly in puncheons; vinified with 10% stems) - Stephen Tanzer”
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (December 2019), 92 pts

"The last vintage for this cuvée, the 2017 Syrah Le Corbeau Discovery Vineyard is similar in style to the Arnaut yet offers slightly more floral notes in its blue fruits, wild strawberry, violets, rose petal, and sappy, forest floor aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with bright acidity and good balance, it’s a beautiful Syrah that leans heavily toward the fresh, elegant end of the spectrum while still offering tons of character and pleasure.”

- Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 92-94 pts

This is an intense wine with a bright scarlet colour. Pure grapey aromas are complimented by red spices, herbs and lavender. The palate has a gentle entry with subtle spicy fruit flavours filling the mid palate. The tight structure gives the wine a succulent dry finish with lingering flavours of red fruit, anise, liquorice and a mineral saltiness.

All grapes used in producing our wines are grown on Keermont Vineyards. Small parcels of grapes are selected according to optimal ripeness and harvested by hand. The grapes are vinified gently and naturally following traditional techniques.

Review:

"The 2015 Topside Syrah comes from dry-farmed vines on decomposed granite and sandstone soils at 350-400 meters above sea level. It spent 20 months maturing in seasoned 500-liter French oak barrels before being bottled by hand without filtration. It has a perfumed, Côte-Rôtie-like bouquet of detailed blackberry, briar and light iris aromas, and just a little chalkiness in the background. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannin, a fine line of acidity and a linear, structured, gently grippy finish with hints of Provençal herbs on the sustained aftertaste. An outstanding Syrah from Keermont. - Neal Martin"

- Vinous (August 29th 2018), 94 pts

"Unblended, the 2015 Topside Syrah is fresh and dusty on the nose with soft, black fruit expression and a fine, black-spice edge. The medium to full-bodied palate has a dusty, varietally correct expression with a soft grip of tannins and a mineral edge with sandy, black pepper tones. It finishes long with lingering, dusty mineral notes. The Topside vineyard is situated on a hill opposite the Steepside vineyard. 2,541 bottles were made."

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue # 256, October 2019), 93 pts

St. James Winery Blackberry - NV is made from blackberries
10.4% Alcohol by Volume
12.7% Residual Sugar
Is it fresh picked blackberries in a bottle or St. James Winery Blackberry wine? Tough call.
Sweet and delicious served chilled with your favorite dessert or for no reason at all, except to enjoy.

Select Wine Competition Awards:
2011 GOLD San Francisco Chronicle
2010 SILVER San Francisco Chronicle

This is a classic West County English cider. Produced with 14 varieties of mostly English cider apples including Dabinett, Kingston Black, and Somerset Redstreak to name just a few. True to style, it starts with a smokey bouquet and a hint of horse blanket. The taste is full of complex flavors including smoked fruit. Horse blanket notes on the finish make this cider true to style and a rare edition for the Western New York region. LIMITED EDITION.

Pairs with sharp cheddar cheese and crackers, charcuterie/cheese board, ham and cheese sandwiches.

Sunset Hills Red is made from 77% Cabernet Franc, 9% Tannat, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes of brambled blackberry, raspberry, plum, and forest floor. Light in body, leaning on acidity rather than tannins. Youthful and vibrant!

The lighter style that Sunset Red offers widens the scope of the wines here at Sunset Hills Vineyard. Delicate and youthful, the structure of the Sunset Red is carried by its acidity and bright fruit notes, rather than heavy oak or tannins. We want this wine to be enjoyed young—with the fruit notes still bright and vibrant.

Complex and compelling, this estate-grown Syrah sends up smoky notes of cured meat, nougat and caramel. Black cherry fruit anchors the barrel notes, and it just gets more and more delicious as it winds its way across the palate. This demonstrates classy winemaking and perfect balance.

The fruit for this wine is grown at an elevation of 1310 feet on the grounds of the Winery. The higher elevation and the proximity to the Blue Mountains, gives this vineyard a longer, cooler ripening season than most other areas of the Walla Walla Appellation. The cooler site results in a style much like that of a classic Northern Rhone with complexity and balance without the concentration and higher alcohol levels of Syrah produced in warmer areas.

Review:

"(from the estate's Mill Creek Upland vineyard): Bright full ruby. Lively butt but subdued scents of cassis, blackberry, minerals, brown spices, violet and licorice; showing a distinctly dark side of Syrah. Intensely flavored, firm and juicy; not a particularly fleshy or pliant style but offers lovely inner-mouth violet lift and a dense weave to the flavors of dark berries and minerals. This serious Syrah boasts a firm spine of acids and tannins and finishes with sneaky persistence. Dry, laid-back and rather classic wine, in need of time in bottle to expand and gain in complexity. (14.7% alcohol) - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2018), 92 pts