Edmunds St John, Rocks and Gravel, California

This was comparatively lean compared to the Barolo, Barbera, and Brunello I had with it, but well-balanced, delicious, and refreshing. A little hint of green and minty complexity. Definitely an understated wine that felt cool-weathered. Really nice.

2013 vintage

Place holder note. Crunchy, strawberry, garrigue

2013 vintage

Proof that beautifully balanced wines can be made in California, climate change be damned! Ripe but not to the point where the grapes were picked before phenolically ripe, this is where the deft hand of Steve Edmunds does his magic. ....

2013 vintage

This GSM blend (50%, 25%, 25% in this vintage) always speaks of village Rhone wines what with its earthy smokiness and balance. Notes of blackberry, orange zest, tobo, spice, and of course, smoke. Medium mouthfeel; none of the weightiness of many California GSM blends. Always a joy to drink. Some sediment. 13.1% alc. Originally pulled to pair with smoked duck breast (which worked well) until the maple glaze was added. Poured back and enjoyed the following evening with grilled beef …

2013 vintage

Still going strong on day 3. Steve Edmunds is a national treasure.

2013 vintage

Nice rhone-style wine with good mineral backbone and moderate acidity. Seems to be at peak.

2013 vintage

Drank over two days. No formal notes - working from memory. Fresh, fruit driven, slightly effervescent, almost reminiscent of nerello-driven wines of Southern Italy. Raspberries, fresh white figs, apricot. Very light on the tannins. I think that this is ready now. Not certain about aging potential.

2013 vintage

A Californian gem.

2013 vintage

Absolutely delicious and ready to go. One of my favorite wines that seems to fly under the radar

2013 vintage

A very tasty Rhone blend made in a very elegant and subtle style; The nose has floral and earth tones, while the palate is very lithe and airy, with red and dark fruits, savory spice and meaty tones

2013 vintage

This was delicious and showing very nicely right out of the gate. Beautiful fruit in a very restrained and effortless package with a distinctive note of cherry and red hots candy (without the heat). A bit more concentration than I got on the 2011, but make no mistake, this is the antithesis of big, modern, heavily extracted wine making. If you like finessed, understated wines that taste 'real' as I do, you will love this. We polished this off quite …

2013 vintage

I opened this bottle at the spur of the moment, a passing comment making me want a bottle of ESJ. This is very early days for a Rocks & Gravel, but so it goes. It was more translucent than other recent vintages of R&G, but no less expressive. There was plenty of red berry and cherry fruit, as well as the expected herbal and meaty accents for this blend of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache. The finish only hinted at the …

2013 vintage

What a fun wine. Floral nose with candied red raspberry fruit that gives a sharp impression, leading me to expect a brisk entry. Surprisingly, the wine is very mellow on the palate, showing pale purple and red flavor tones. The first characteristic that shows up on the palate, mainly on the front, are prominent savory notes backed by floral aromatics (rhododendron???) . This plays into a meaty note that shows up in the middle and carries into the finish. One …

2013 vintage

May be a bad bottle. Possibly cooked.

2013 vintage

White pepper and black fruit on the nose and palate. Grape-y like an immature barrel sample. Brightness brings it home with fine tannin. Loving its 13.1%ABV. Very enjoyable, however something with this level of complexity can be had for less from France.

2013 vintage

Taste at TETE. Pretty solid. Purple grape aromas, slightly candied and actually a bit rustic on the back end. The palate shows more austerity than the nose. Still more purple fruit. Understated on the finish. Decent.

2013 vintage

Really love the nose on this...bright red fruits with a subtle rhubarb note. Beautiful color as well. A very light to medium bodied wine, with good acidity. Really well made wine and anxious to see how these improve with some age.

2013 vintage

My favorite at a Rhone and Rhone inspired tasting at The Wine Country in Long Beach CA. All ten wines were good. This is the only one I revisited and bought. Ready now. I need to buy more. Fruit is from Unti in Dry Creek Valley who make an incredible rosé.

2013 vintage

I don't know why but that shows a touch rasinated for me. Everyone else says its darn delicious.

2013 vintage

Juicy, fresh, with some clip, well done.

2013 vintage

Really transparent and aromatic, with plenty of gravel dust notes as promised by the name, and gamy floral notes that are as much Savigny as they are Grenache to my palate.

2013 vintage

Fresh off the boat...err...truck, this is the most integrated, approachable young vintage of Rocks & Gravel in years. There was just a hint of CO2 prickle when I opened it, but within 15 minutes it was gone, replaced by a velvety up-front texture, and finishing acidic structure. They red fruit and herb aromas and flavors just flow through the wine, making for a very pleasurable drinking experience. It is likely that I did not buy enough of this wine, as …

2013 vintage

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Edmunds St John, Rocks and Gravel, California

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