The Rocks District

Deep layers of cobblestones held together by silt and sand make up the incredible landscape of our sites in The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. These sites that produce incredibly compelling Syrah sit in Oregon just south of the Washington border, within the Walla Walla Valley.

Sitting in the cobblestone soil of Le Mani/River Rock Vineyard in our rows of Syrah, winemaker Evan Martin describes this unique terroir and it’s origin while touching on the intention of Martin Woods Winery to make some of the most compelling domestic Syrah from these carefully selected sites.

The Terroir:

The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater - Syrah

Tightly demarcated by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan), the Rocks District exists entirely within Oregon, just outside of the town of Milton-Freewater. The soils are composed of cobblestone-size gravels (of volcanic origin) deposited by the Walla Walla River as it exits the nearby Blue Mountains. The extremely well-drained soils encourage vine roots to grow very deep in search of water, allowing interaction with an abundance of mineral-derived nutrients. The cobblestones also absorb solar energy and radiate that heat to both the root and fruit zones, leading to earlier phenological ripening and wines with refined structure. The inland continental climate and northern latitude (46 degrees N) translate to strong diurnal shifts of day/night temperatures, giving the Syrah a wonderful balance of fruit and freshness. We believe this to be one of the few locales in the world where the delightfully sensual floral/savory attributes of Syrah can be captured with distinction, making for complex, perfumed and textured wines that remind us of the very best from the Northern Rhone.

The Wine

The Rocks Syrah

AVA: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater

Elevation: 900-925 ft

Soil: Freewater Cobblestones

Vine Age: 2000 (River Rock), 2016 (RockBar)

Clonal Selection: Joseph Phelps clonal selection