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WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

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TomHill

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WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by TomHill » Tue Sep 04, 2018 1:01 pm

Needed a red last night, so cracked:
1. EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel DryCreekVlly (UntiVnyd; Frmtd in concrete vats; 50% Syrah/42% Grenache/8% Mourv; 13.8%) Skin of Our Teeth/Alameda 2009: Med.dark color w/ no bricking; strong pencilly/cedary strong strawberry/blackberry/Grenache slight Rhonish/smoked meats some complex very attractive nose; lightly tart rather strawberry/blackberry/Grenache light pencilly/cedary/Rhonish/roasted balanced/smooth flavor w/ light smooth/gentle tannins; very long light pencilly/cedary rather strawberry/Grenache/blackberry/slight raspberry light Rhonish/smokex meats bit complex finish w/ light gentle tannins; probably near or beyond its peak; a very pretty/attractive Rhone blend.
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A wee BloodyPulpit:
1. This was made in concrete vats at the RockwallWnry. I wanted to like this wine a lot more than I did. It seemed fully mature, but just seemed to sort of plod across the palate, didn't have the pizazz that I was hoping for.
Tom
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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by SteveEdmunds » Tue Sep 04, 2018 7:31 pm

first time working with the Unti grapes, Tom. Levi Glenn was the vineyard manager that year. He made a point of telling me that the Grenache was never ripe before the end of September. I told him I was going to make a point of checking in on it during the first third of September. He called me on the 6th or 7th, and said "boy didi I screw up! I don't know how it happened, but the Grenache is already at 24 Brix!" So we started in a hole, and had to dig out. I think the wine got better each year after that, especially after Levi left to become vineyard manager at Tablas Creek! :lol:
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David M. Bueker

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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by David M. Bueker » Tue Sep 04, 2018 8:01 pm

I had a bottle of this not long ago, and was much happier with it than Tom.
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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by SteveEdmunds » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:12 pm

I think the starting point of over-ripe Syrah and Grenache resulted in the "plodding" in Tom's comment; it was an observation with which I pretty much concur. It's interesting that the tasting notes themselves seem mostly quite positive. The disconnect, I have to assume, comes from having also tasted wines that displayed more of what he expected and didn't find in the bottle under discussion.
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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by David M. Bueker » Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:33 am

Probably because a "plodding" ESJ is still more lively than most CA wines of the type.
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TomHill

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Well....

by TomHill » Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:10 am

Steve Edmunds wrote:I think the starting point of over-ripe Syrah and Grenache resulted in the "plodding" in Tom's comment; it was an observation with which I pretty much concur. It's interesting that the tasting notes themselves seem mostly quite positive. The disconnect, I have to assume, comes from having also tasted wines that displayed more of what he expected and didn't find in the bottle under discussion.


Well., Steve/David.....the wine was good wine and very pleasurable to drink. It's just that I was expecting a whole lot more from
it. Many of the R&G have developed into terrific wines. This had not. It was just merely "good"...which sometimes
is good enough.
Tom
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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by Victorwine » Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:07 pm

Heck, a wine that "runs and skips realy fast" across the palate, you might miss something.

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Re: WTN: EdmundsStJohn Rocks&Gravel '09...(short/boring)

by David M. Bueker » Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:33 pm

In the interest of science, I opened the 2009 and 2010 Rocks & Gravel tonight. The 2009 is very good, but does come across as having a dominant bass note. The 2010 is brighter, fresher, and generally more fun. I would never turn down a glass of the 2009. I would always take a glass of the 2010 if offered the choice.
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Yup..

by TomHill » Fri Sep 14, 2018 7:38 pm

David M. Bueker wrote:In the interest of science, I opened the 2009 and 2010 Rocks & Gravel tonight. The 2009 is very good, but does come across as having a dominant bass note. The 2010 is brighter, fresher, and generally more fun. I would never turn down a glass of the 2009. I would always take a glass of the 2010 if offered the choice.

Yup, David. Wouldn’t turn down a glass of the ‘09 either. But it just didn’t have the brightness and zip I was expecting.
Tom

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