Ruben Solorzano Syrah 2022

Stolpman’s Pre Clonal, Own Rooted Projects
Grape Whisperer Ruben Solorzano planted the first test vineyard that would pave the way for the other GREAT PLACES vineyards back in 2007. After being inspired while helping Renee Rostaing prune his steep Côte Blonde parcel in Côte Rôtie, Ruben crammed 6,000 pre-clonal Syrah vines onto one beautiful hillside in marching rows of diagonal trellises directly above Ballard Creek.   
This one-acre block, today known as Great Places Ruben Solorzano, is the founding member of the Great Places Quartet.  In 2018, August James was classified, Pete and Jessica Stolpman’s eldest son who is named after Auguste Clape, Cornas.  In 2022, we finally classified Jessica Lauren, whose vineyard was inspired by the brand’s namesake Lieu-Dit “Les Grandes Places” Serine in Côte Rôtie.  Finally, August’s younger brother, Otto Reynard (Otto’s middle name, Reynard means “the fox” and is a famous parcel in Cornas) was classified in 2023.       
A second year of drought reduced our 2022 yields and led to a small crop. Our vines naturally set only a few tiny clusters each.  A Labor Day heatwave further intensified the ripe flavor concentration of the tiny clusters. The two picks that made the cut into Great Places Ruben Solorzano came from the top of the one acre block as well as the south-facing spine.  
Boysenberry sucking into chocolate and coffee bean. Robust purple fruit punches out of the glass complimented by milky sweet Earl Grey tea. Cushy and thick pillowing textures fall into a woody and dusty dry backing.