WTN: ESJ

2003 ESJ Shell and Bone Paso Robles Red Wine
On the first day this is lovely stuff, with soft silky warm fruits and a stern fresh acid framing. It is very nice to drink now, but there are some tannins that could be distracting, depending on the taster. On day two, it is so much more integrated and lovely, soft, floral, and fun. Remind me to open the next bottle one day in advance.

2003 ESJ Syrah El Dorado County “Wylie Fenaughty”
This one goes straight to the decanter, and four hours later the lovely dark black peppery warm syrah is coating my insides. The nose is dark serious Syrah, the mouth is sunny CA juice, plus some friendly herbs. Remind me to open the next bottle one day in advance.

2005 ESJ Rocks and Gravel
So I finally learned, and opened this one day in advance, before taking it to a friend’s house for dinner. As such, it was lovely supple and drinking silkily straight from our first glass. Went very well with salmon. But was still true to the Sunny Blend. That’s a wine.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the heads up. I will be sure to at least decant.

I buy Steve's Rocks and Gravel along with the two syrah wines, Wylie Fernaughty and Bassetti most years. I just found a guy in southern IL that handles his wines and picked up 3 bottles of the '04 Rocks and Gravel which I had missed. Steve makes amazing wines, as good as any but you have to give them time. It amazes me how closed they are and I do not open them for 5 years, at least that is the plan. Tasted by itself I have a hard time telling it is CA. Tasted next to a N Rhone the sunny weather comes out but nothing like what you see in other CA syrahs.

I did break my rule of not ever buying wines with silly names and picked up a bottle of his Bone-Jolly this weekend and look forward to trying it. Thankfully I did not consider '02 The Shadow a funny name and bought 6 bottles. This was the best $12 syrah on the market and am hording my last bottle. Funny story on the '02 Shadow and still not sure of the reason but it was a blend of all property purchases and came out great.

Walt

Funny story on the '02 Shadow and still not sure of the reason but it was a blend of all property purchases and came out great.

Walt

Tough vintage, but great wine for the price. That too will benefit from decanting.

04 was also tough for Steve, R&G was the only (red?) wine he made. But it is very fine indeed.

Sometimes these wines do show well on the first day, I just think at this stage their depth comes out more on the second day.

Thankfully I did not consider '02 The Shadow a funny name and bought 6 bottles. This was the best $12 syrah on the market and am hording my last bottle. Funny story on the '02 Shadow and still not sure of the reason but it was a blend of all property purchases and came out great.

It pains me that ESJ wines are not available in Washington state. Fortunatley, last summer I found two bottles of the '02 ESJ The Shadow Syrah at a store in Oregon. I gave a bottle to my son (what a good dad, eh?) and placed the other in my wine storage until tonight. I have to agree with the accolades forum members have heaped upon this wine. It really is unlike any domestic Syrah I have tasted in recent memory. Great QPR on this bottle, too.

Hopefully, those of us living in the Puget Sound area will be able to find these wines closer to home in the future.

-- Clark

[James Roscoe]

I have two of the 2003 Rocks and Gravel in the cellar. Are they ready to open? I was going to let them sleep a while.

We drank the Bolly-Jone tonight with a home-made lasagna. It was a good match.

Are they ready to open? I was going to let them sleep a while.

Open now. Drink later.

You can't go wrong either way.

[James Roscoe]

Are they ready to open? I was going to let them sleep a while.

Open now. Drink later.

You can't go wrong either way.

Drink one and put one to bed in a dark corner then?