Tertulia Cellars
Reserve Riviere Galets Estate Vineyard Syrah
Walla Walla Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA
This is 50% from The Rocks and 50% from the surrounding hills. Both basaltic rock-based terroir, but the it’s wind-eroded loess in form in the hill and the famous galets-like round stones in the river plain that is known as The Rocks. And, unfortunately, I got an email a few months ago saying this winery is shuttering. Sad, because their wines were excellent, if under-publicized. The nose on this is wonderful, with dense, vibrant dark berry fruit, a bit of fresh beef blood, and smoky gravel. In the mouth, it’s got dense, low-toned flavors that are contrasted with penetrating acids, which is not the norm in Walla Walla. It seems a little tightly wound but the tannins are well contained. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that seems a couple of years away from peaking, but is damn tasty right now.
I actually lucked into buying this bottle. When my wife and I visited, we wanted to taste it, but they said it was sold out. We tasted and talked and bought some other excellent wines (the GSM was terrific), and just as we were leaving someone came in with a case of this that was being returned for some reason. So we lucked into this bottle! Shoulda bought more!
This is 50% from The Rocks and 50% from the surrounding hills. Both basaltic rock-based terroir, but the it’s wind-eroded loess in form in the hill and the famous galets-like round stones in the river plain that is known as The Rocks. And, unfortunately, I got an email a few months ago saying this winery is shuttering. Sad, because their wines were excellent, if under-publicized. The nose on this is wonderful, with dense, vibrant dark berry fruit, a bit of fresh beef blood, and smoky gravel. In the mouth, it’s got dense, low-toned flavors that are contrasted with penetrating acids, which is not the norm in Walla Walla. It seems a little tightly wound but the tannins are well contained. It’s a beautifully balanced wine that seems a couple of years away from peaking, but is damn tasty right now.
I actually lucked into buying this bottle. When my wife and I visited, we wanted to taste it, but they said it was sold out. We tasted and talked and bought some other excellent wines (the GSM was terrific), and just as we were leaving someone came in with a case of this that was being returned for some reason. So we lucked into this bottle! Shoulda bought more!