Get Ready to Rock! New Rocks! Release from Stepping Stone

The evolution of my thoughts had me in a conundrum. I wanted to create two distinctive blended wines, but that was not enough. I wanted to make wine that Rocks!

We did not just want to make another blend, but to create a wine truly inspired by wines from two great wine regions we loved. First there are the racy whites of Italy's Fruili region like Jermann's Vintage Tunina or Bastianich Vespa and then there are the robust, satisfying red blends of southern France, just go down the list of Kermit Lynch's wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon or Provence: we love them all.

Our goal was simple: offer both a great wine and a great value. We wanted to make house wines for people who love our Cornerstone Cellars Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. There doesn’t need to be anything everyday about a wine made to be enjoyed daily. We did not want to be limited by any specific blend of varieties so we do not list them on the label. Rocks! is Rocks! and each year is an expression of that vintage. We scour the North Coast for the most interesting varieties and each year a new blend emerges. This means that each year’s Rocks!is a one-of-a-kind and its personality will change vintage to vintage with one very important common element: Rocks! is just plain delicious.

Tossing off the chains of varietal designation is a new experience and an exciting one. It is a totally different thought process. Normally we are thinking within the context of a particular variety, while with Rocks! our focus is only on the wine itself. Should it be light-bodied or full-bodied, who knows? That can only be determined by wines themselves. We taste, taste, taste, then taste some more until something in the wine tells us we have arrived. Each vintage is a new experience and each new experience gives birth to a unique wine.

2011 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone North Coast White Rocks!

• a blend of chardonnay and gewürztraminer
• Bottling Date: March 27th., 2012; Cases Produced: 962 cases
• Bottling Analysis: alcohol 13.5% v/v; pH 3.74; T.A. 0.680 g/100mL

This wonderfully robust, wildly aromatic white blend of chardonnay and gewürztraminer is loaded with delicious flavors of pear, bright tropical citrus, melon and a dash of spice. Layers of succulent tropical flavors tantalize the palate giving a round mouthfeel, which is balanced by a refreshing acidity, creating a crisp, clean, satisfying finish. This delectable blend dances together beautifully creating a smooth, layered, but crisp white wine that pairs well with fresh salads, spicy Asian dishes and is perfect as an aperitif with appetizers.

2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone North Coast Red Rocks!

• a blend of zinfandel, syrah and merlot
• Bottling Date:June 15th., 2012; Cases Produced: 1051 cases
• Bottling Analysis: alcohol   14.5% v/v: pH 3.74; T.A.         0.570 g/100mL

The 2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Red Rocks! brings together a unique, but tantalizing blend of three irresistible grape varieties, zinfandel from Lake County, syrah from Sonoma and a Napa Carneros merlot. The lifted, refreshing red and black brambly fruits and spice of zinfandel, syrah’s pepper laced smoked meat and earthiness all bound together and balanced by the generous, velvet textured merlot. Straight away these three varieties seamlessly meld together, playing off each other creating a delightful blend of pure pleasure with layers of lush, lifted aromatics playfully leaping out of the glass. To the vibrant, yet generous mouthfeel bursting with flavors of rich fruit and spice which greets the palate, balanced by a juicy, mouth-watering acidity, with supple easy-going tannins and a deceptively long and satisfying finish that leaves the palate clean and refreshed. Fresh, fruit-forward, playful and oh so drinkable, a wine for all seasons and reasons, the 2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Red Rocks! is delicious on its own and is wonderfully versatile with food. An instant friend of gourmet pizzas and grilled meats, the 2010 Red Rocks! is sure to take your next BBQ to new heights of enjoyment.

As these wines are in limited release and will be available for only about six months out of the year, I hope you get a chance to taste our Rocks! wines soon and share your opinions with me as soon as possible. I know they'll rock you just as much as they rock us!