Winemaker Notes
The Gibson Block is the heart of the McDowell Valley AVA. It is planted with some of the oldest Syrah and Grenache in California. This ancient, dry farmed mixed block next to the original Gibson Homestead has been producing grapes for over a hundred years. As a result of the vine age and miniscule yield, this wine is dark and intense. A heady mix of mulberry and lavender dominate the nose, with an edge of cinnamon stick. Broad, mouth-coating tannins are tethered to a core of smooth, sleek, powerful texture that is balanced by focused acid. Delicious with hearty fare now, and built to age.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Some lovely rounded aromas of cut plums, black tea, well-ripened red cherries and sage. Medium-to full-bodied with tight tannins. Lovely, subtle concentration and intensity here. Generous without being overblown. Tar and bark. Driven with structure and length. A lovely example of what Northern California syrah is capable of. Best after 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple, the 2019 Gibson Block Syrah has a core of cassis and soaring violet perfume with accents of coffee beans, dark chocolate, aniseed and mint. The full-bodied palate is powerful and concentrated with broody, iron-laced fruits, pleasantly chewy tannins and bright freshness elevating floral perfume on the finish.
Starting with only a handful of purchased grapes in 1978, Marietta Cellars has been a standout winery in Sonoma and Mendocino since the very beginning. Founded by Chris Bilbro, a Sonoma County native with winemaking roots dating back three generations, Marietta rose to prominence with its revolutionary Old Vine Red, a California red blend that essentially created the category. The winery has slowly expanded its estate holdings over the past thirty years, evolving into a beacon for high quality, balanced Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Rhône variety blends. Now fully estate-based and organically farmed, Marietta has vineyards spanning 310 acres in the Alexander Valley, McDowell Valley, and Yorkville Highlands. Notable among their heritage plantings are California’s oldest Syrah blocks, planted in the late 1800s.
Scot Bilbro, Chris’s son, has brought Marietta into its next, incredibly exciting phase. After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 2007, Scot joined the winery full-time, assuming the role of winemaker in 2012. Steeped in the history of the California wine country and the traditions established by his father, Scot combines his creativity and technical background in guiding the winery’s vision of viticulture and winemaking. Today, the fusion of traditional values and style with modern precision have culminated in the most highly regarded wines of Marietta’s four decade history.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
A continuous sloping bench land overlooking the Russian River, McDowell Valley reaches about 1,000 feet at its highest elevation. It is cooler than the surrounding, more northwestern areas of Mendocino County.