Back in 1997 we made a
special auction donation for an annual event called the Hospice
du Rhone (a great gathering of Rhone wine producers and consumers
from around the globe). I thought it might be interesting to offer
up to this gathering of Rhone freaks a 50/50 blend of cool climate
and warm climate syrah. The peppery, high acid fruit from Bien
Nacido and the warm thick fruity Roll Ranch seemed like the perfect
synergistic match. The 1997 blend turned out great and has become
one of my favorite wines produced here. In an effort to see if
that idea was a good one or a fluke, we did the same thing in
2000. We picked the two best barrels each of Roll and Bien Nacido
and bottled them together back in April of last year.
After bottling I was ecstatic
about both separate lots of wine, but completely depressed about
the blend—it seemed to show the worst of each lot. We were very
gentle with this wine, and, although it was not fined or filtered
and went into the bottling tank without any pumping, something
had happened. I could not un-blend the lots, but knew from experience
that patience was probably needed. I forgot about the wine until
after harvest, and in December decided to pop a cork. I was amazed
at the transformation that had occurred. Like the 1997, it possesses
all the power and richness of Roll, but it is completed by the
spiciness and much needed acidity of the Bien Nacido. I have only
served this 90 case bottling to a few people, but they have been
uniformly knocked out by its wows-y aromatics and its deliciousness.
You won’t be disappointed!