Winemaker Notes
Stonessence has an abundance of aromatics including black fruits, Asian spices, smoked meats, sandalwood, with hints of violets and marshmallow. Stonessence has a long mouth feel of green olive and crushed pepper which coat the palate.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Polished, plush, round and deeply expressive, this Syrah pulses with purple plum, black currant, wild blueberry, clotted cream and exotic spice flavors that mingle effortlessly and seamlessly. The finish sails on against fine tannins. Drink now through 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming all from the estate's The Rock vineyard and a 100% Syrah, the 2010 Syrah Stonessence doesn't disappoint and has the peppered beef, salty minerality, lavender, pepper and black and blue tinged fruit profile that can be found, to varying degrees, in all of Matt's wines. Full-bodied, concentrated and ethereally textured, it has a core of vibrant acidity, ripe tannin and a blockbuster finish. Possibly the most age-worthy in the lineup, I would give bottles another 3-4 years of bottle age, yet certainly, for those that can't delay gratification, there's ample pleasure to be found now. It will shine for 12-15+ years or more as well. Drink 2016-2027.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Responsible for some of Washington’s most highly acclaimed wines, the Walla Walla Valley has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and is home to both historic wineries and younger, up-and-coming producers.
The Walla Walla Valley, a Native American name meaning “many waters,” is located in southeastern Washington; part of the appellation actually extends into Oregon. Soils here are well-drained, sandy loess over Missoula Flood deposits and fractured basalt.
It is a region perfectly suited to Rhône-inspired Syrahs, distinguished by savory notes of red berry, black olive, smoke and fresh earth. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot create a range of styles from smooth and supple to robust and well-structured. White varieties are rare but some producers blend Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon, resulting in a rich and round style, and plantings of Viognier, while minimal, are often quite successful.
Of note within Walla Walla, is one new and very peculiar appellation, called the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. This is the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries are totally defined by the soil type. Soils here look a bit like those in the acclaimed Rhône region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but are large, ancient, basalt cobblestones. These stones work in the same way as they do in Chateauneuf, absorbing and then radiating the sun's heat up to enhance the ripening of grape clusters. The Rocks District is within the part of Walla Walla that spills over into Oregon and naturally excels in the production of Rhône varieties like Syrah, as well as the Bordeaux varieties.