Syrah
The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater Syrah
The Wine
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 complexely-perfumed and textured wines that remind us of the very best from the Northern Rhone.
Press
98 - Decanter: “One of the most exciting domestic Syrahs, this wine beautifully showcases a well-crafted expression of the ‘classic’ funk of The Rocks. The deep umami notes come from the concentration of flavours in the berries due to the vines’ low yields. Notable aromas of green olives and peppers, violets, and meats complement those flavours. This Syrah includes 50% whole cluster and spends 40 days on the skins, enhancing its complexity and depth.”
96 - International Wine Report: "The 2022 Martin Woods Syrah from The Rocks District presents a deep ruby-purple core with a medium purple rim, showcasing its bold and structured personality. With high stem inclusion during fermentation, this Syrah boasts incredible structure and an earthy depth that adds layers of complexity. Aromas of green olive, violet flowers, and boysenberries meld seamlessly with hints of black pepper, delivering a captivating nose that invites you in. A touch of reductive character further enhances the wine’s unique personality, bringing it all together with fine-grained tannins and energetic acidity. The finish is long, with a lingering richness that makes this a Syrah you’ll want to return to, glass after glass. Though approachable now, patience will be rewarded—this wine will only get better by 2025. Highly recommended."
94+ - Jeb Dunnuck: "Coming from Oregon, the 2022 Syrah The Rocks is an expressive and fantastic mix of savory and fruity. Notes of gravelly earth, pepper, pure black raspberry, fresh plum, and wildflowers are followed by a medium-bodied red with well-defined, fine tannins, a fresh feel, and an elegant, savory finish. This one needs more time to see how far it can go, as it’s very young in its feel now. Drink 2025-2035.
Our Tasting Notes:
Olive tapenade and violets married to deep blue/red fruits—fresh, energertic, silken texture with very fine tannin structure—will age for many years with the perfume becoming wonderfully pronounced
Top 50 Wines of 2022
Decanter Magazine
#15:
Martin Woods, 2022 The Rocks Syrah
Paired Album:
We’ve paired this vintage of The Rocks Syrah with one of our favorite albums to spin during this harvest season. After listening to this album en route to Milton-Freewater to pick the Syrah fruit, we unanimously agreed that the legend of Japanese Jazz really captures the essence of the 2022 Syrah throughout the listen of this album, beginning to end. Please enjoy a bottle with friends, a well-paired meal, and the audible sounds of this album in the background. Hiroshi Suzuki - CAT, 1976
