PÁŠXA Rockgarden Syrah
Syrah from The Rocks District has earned its place as one of the most exciting wines in the world. The Rockgarden Syrah is a refined and nuanced expression from one of the top vineyards in this unique and austere growing area.
This Syrah has a dark purple hue and complex, inviting aromatics. If you think you know Syrah from the Rocks, Rockgarden might upend that notion. The wine has vivid fruit, with floral, peppery, and saline tones. It’s layered and complex, but restraint and elegance set this Syrah apart.
2023 VINTAGE ACCLAIM
“The 2023 PÁŠXA Rock Garden Vineyard Syrah unfolds with striking depth and detail, immediately signaling a composed yet expressive interpretation that leans toward a cooler, more classical note. Extended aging of 20 months in large neutral oak has allowed the elements to knit together, smoothing edges while preserving clarity and site character. Aromas of crushed blackberry, black plum flesh, and ripe cherry are interwoven with savory tones of umami, damp forest floor, and freshly ground coffee. On the palate, the wine moves with measured confidence, layering dark fruit with earthy, umami, and meat-driven accents that bring both tension and intrigue. Although still youthful, the concentration builds quietly rather than forcefully, revealing a core that feels tightly knit and patiently assembled. With air, the texture becomes increasingly supple, and the flavor spectrum widens to include black tea, peat moss, and subtle saline savor. The finish is long, poised, and steadily unfolding, rewarding time in the glass and confirming Syrah’s unmistakable voice in The Rocks District. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.”
– 97 points & Editor’s Choice, Int’l Wine Report
“The spicebox bouquet of the 2023 Syrah Rockgarden blends lavender with cedar shavings, blood orange and dusty black currants. It soothes the senses with cool-toned acidity and a cascade of sweet inner florals as red and black fruits are elevated by a tinge of sour citrus. Its structure comes through in the finish, youthfully tense, as edgy tannins mingle with tart blackberry over a sensation of liquid stone. The 2023 is already generous, but it has a balanced structure that will carry it for many years in the cellar.”
– 96 points, Paul Gregutt
“The Rockgarden estate was planted in 2007, situated in the highest part of the massive cobblestones in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater. Inky and brooding aromatics, with ferrous mineral tones, crushed stone and hot iron. The palate is a melange of umami, aged balsamic, smoky soy, olives and brine. It’s a complex wine with roasted herbs and smoke lifting to a savoury crescendo.”
– 95 points, Decanter
“The spicebox bouquet of the 2023 Syrah Rockgarden blends lavender with cedar shavings, blood orange and dusty black currants. It soothes the senses with cool-toned acidity and a cascade of sweet inner florals as red and black fruits are elevated by a tinge of sour citrus. Its structure comes through in the finish, youthfully tense, as edgy tannins mingle with tart blackberry over a sensation of liquid stone. The 2023 is already generous, but it has a balanced structure that will carry it for many years in the cellar.”
– 95 points, Vinous
“The downright delicious 2023 Pasxa ‘Rockgarden Estate’ Syrah opens with Hoisin sauce, seaweed and shades of black currants on the nose, with black florals. The palate is fresh and lithe with a polished texture and terrific sense of weight and length. Enjoy this earthy and savory beauty now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2026-2034.”
– 95 points, Owen Bargreen
View 2022 VINTAGE ACCLAIM
“This amazing wine is an absolute riot of scents and flavors. The moderate acids bring blood orange and tangerine; the fruits are a mix of berries, plums and cherries backed by a wash of savory herbs. The umami highlights kick in with soy, black tea, compost and coffee grounds, nicely melded and providing a firm tannic base. This Syrah drank just as well on the third day as on the first day. A beautiful bottle start to finish.”
– 98 points Paul Gregutt, Paul Gregutt’s NW Wine Guide
“This 2022 Syrah from the Rockgarden Vineyard captures the essence of the Rocks District in Walla Walla Valley with extraordinary depth and character. It pours a profound, inky purple and bursts from the glass with aromas of wild blueberries, smoked plum, and cracked black pepper, accented by savory notes of cured meats, olive tapenade, and violets. The palate is rich yet refined, offering layers of blackberries, ripe raspberries, and a touch of anise that melds seamlessly with velvety, polished tannins. Subtle earthy undertones and a whisper of smoked herbs add complexity while the finish lingers with remarkable precision and balance. This is a masterful expression of Syrah, poised to develop beautifully through 2035, yet already an exceptional experience in its youth. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.”
– 97 points & Editor’s Choice Jeremy Young, International Wine Report
“The 2022 Syrah Rockgarden Vineyard is all varietal from a great vineyard in the Rocks region of the Walla Walla Valley. Its deep purple hue is followed by a gorgeous Syrah nose of game red, black, and blue fruits, ground pepper, spring flowers, and bacon fat. This carries to a medium to full-bodied effort with ripe, velvety tannins, a layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s a killer bottle of Syrah in the making.”
– 95-97 points Jeb Dunnuck
“The 2022 Syrah Rockgarden Estate seduces from the first tilt of the glass, boasting its Rocks District origins with a whiff of wet stones, underbrush and savory herbs complicating crushed black berries and hints of sage. Exceptionally soft and enveloping, yet salty in style, it smoothes over the palate with ripe red and black fruits as well as olive and rosemary nuances. Long and staining, spicy to the core, the 2022 finishes structured yet still fresh while leaving tinges of licorice and white pepper to linger on. This is rockstar juice. Wow! Drinking Window: 2026-2036”
– 96 points Eric Guido, Vinous
“Unmistakable aromas of blood and iron fillings, hot ember, and a sauvage character that accompany dried lavender leaps from the glass. Initially planted in 2007 by Nina Buty, Rockgarden Estate is ideally situated in the highest part of the cobblestones in the Rocks District of Milton Freewater. The vineyard has been densely planted to top clones of Syrah and certified organic by Oregon Tilth in 2010. Farming of this estate vineyard for PÁŠXA wines utilises organic and biodynamic practices. The palate is intensely savoury, with a meaty, briny streak and salty umami depths of soy and taut blood orange flavours.”
– 96 points Clive Pursehouse, Decanter
“A great wine from 2022, the Pasxa ‘Rockgarden Estate’ Syrah opens with a delightful bouquet of Mandarin orange zest alongside wet rock, soy sauce and shades of red currant compote. The palate is marvelously stony and intense, with a silky mouthfeel throughout the drinking experience. Absolutely no need to cellar this beautiful wine. Drink 2025-2032”
– 96 points Owen Bargreen
“From The Rocks estate, the 2022 Syrah Rockgarden Vineyard has soft layers of ripe berry goodness and lavender, with a backdrop of funkiness and herb. Silky in texture, it offers a luxurious, full-bodied opulence and compelling aromatics and should be good to go another 10-15 years.”
– 95 points Virginie Boone, Jeb Dunnuck
