Winemaker Notes
Blend: 71% Syrah, 18% Grenache, 11% Mourvedre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2007 Broken Stones is 71% Syrah, 18% Grenache and 11% Mourvèdre that also saw plenty of stems in the ferments. It too is incredibly elegant, with more plums, violets, incense and peppery aromatics. Full-bodied, silky and pure on the palate, with a killer texture, it's still youthful, but is drinking beautifully. It has another decade or longevity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Broken Stones (71% Syrah, 18% Grenache, and 11% Mourvedre) is a gorgeously seamless wine with an inky/blue/purple color, a tight but promising nose of blue and black fruits, incense, charcoal, and extraordinarily pure black raspberry and blackberry fruit, fabulous concentration in the mouth, velvety, well-integrated tannins, and a mind-bogglingly long finish. This wine will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15 or more.
Rating: 96+ -
Wine Spectator
A full-blown tour de force, pure, ripe, rich and focused, delivering blackberry, huckleberry, boysenberry and spicy mineral notes that are dense without being heavy. Layered and intricate, this is smooth, detailed and long on the finish. Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre.
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!