Bedrock Wine Company Syrah 2018
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Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
Winemaker Notes
This value offering of Syrah is primarily made up of declassified lots of their vineyard designated wines. In 2018 this means Hudson, Griffin’s Lair, Alder Springs, Weill, Shake Ridge and others make the majority of the blends, combined with small amounts of Bedrock Vineyard Syrah, Walker Vine Hill and others. All lots saw some use of whole-cluster (ranging from 20-100%) and there is a small amount of Viognier also co-fermented in a few of the lots. Elevage was done in a variety of barrel sizes, a small fraction of which were new. Perfumed, peppery and meaty, this wine should slay it for the price.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah is a delicious, drinking wine. TASTING NOTES: This wine is ripe, supple, and firm with an accent of oak. Enjoy it with a light, savory beef stew. (Tasted: May 23, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Other Vintages
2021-
Wilfred
Wong
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Wine
Spectator
The winery’s objectives are:
To channel the fruit of ancient vines into powerful, elegant, and distinctly Californian wines.
To spread the gospel of Syrah in California by sourcing fruit from great terroirs throughout the North Coast.
To proclaim the greatness of Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by sparing no expense on wines of uniqueness and personality.
To reclaim rose’ from the excesses of saignee and focus on precision, delicacy, aromatics, and food friendliness.
To make fascinating and quixotic white wines from unique sites and interesting varietals.
To dream big but keep production low!
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!