2023 SYRAH ROASTED SLOPE
Our Roasted Slope has been among our most sought-after wines, each and every vintage, since we first dreamed it up back in 1996 after a nursery mistake left us with a Syrah vineyard inter-planted with about 8% Viognier. Rather than pout about it, we decided to begin to co-ferment the two grapes together, just like they do in the famed Northern Rhône appellation of Côte Rôtie. I decided to name this new wine Roasted Slope (a direct and literal translation of Côte Rôtie). I am crazy proud to release the new and improved Roasted Slope, a blend of co-fermented Syrah and Viognier, all from vineyard blocks along Alisos Canyon Road and our very own Estate. This proprietary red wine picks up right where we left off and even leap frogs the qualities of the original wines. We sincerely hope that you love this new wine as much as we do! The 2023 Roasted Slope is a dead ringer for a high-end Cote-Rotie with aromas and flavors of black cherry, mixed berry pie, cocoa, toasty French Oak, white flowers, honey, and peach. The aroma alone really takes you on a journey. The wine is a very dark, brooding red/black with ripe, sweet tannins and a very velvety mouthfeel and a long finish balanced by natural acidity. This wine will start to sing in about 5 years and improve for a decade or more.
"The 2023 Roasted Slope is a blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, one-third each from the estate, Nolan and Watch Hill. Lifted violet aromatics leap from the glass, accenting a classic, old-school profile of smoked meat, blood, iron, forest floor and black raspberry. Plush and structured, the cool-vintage feel of 2023 is impossible to miss here, but that really elevates this bottling. It's a gorgeous wine in every way." 95 Points Vinous
"Ripe black fruits, pepper, scorched earth, and bouquet garni nuances define the 2023 Syrah Roasted Slope, a blend of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier (30% stems) aged 18 months in 20% new French oak. Medium-bodied, focused, and textured, with nicely integrated acidity, fine tannins, and a layered, lengthy finish, give it a year and drink over the following decade or more. Drink 2026-2036." 94 Points Jeb Dunnuck
Praise for Previous Vintage:
"Based on 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, with 30% stems, the 2022 Syrah Roasted Slope is beautiful, with a complete, round, textured style as well as compelling aromatics of spiced red and black fruits, smoked meats, spice, leather, and peppery nuances. I love its overall mouthfeel, it has plenty of mid-palate depth, and it’s just a classic, complex, smoky, meaty style of Syrah with tons to love. Drink bottles over the coming decade."
95 Points Jeb Dunnuck
"A co-ferment of 92% Syrah and 8% Viognier, the 2022 Roasted Slope hails from Andrew Murray's estate vineyard, Watch Hill and Nolan. It's a classic Andrew Murray wine—wonderfully deep and intense. More importantly, all the elements are incredibly well balanced. Black cherry, plum, licorice, spice, new leather, incense and dried herbs run through. The inclusion of 15% stems works quite well here."
95 Points Antonio Galloni for Vinous
"While the name is a nod to Cote Rotie in the Rhone Valley, this syrah strikes me as showing the lavish fruit and exuberant texture of traditional Australian shiraz. Absolutely saturated with blackberry jam, blueberries, black pepper and even espresso notes. It’s full-bodied, delicious and not too tannic."
94 Points James Suckling