2005 Roshambo Syrah, Borri Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley

Roshambo Winery was born of the simple idea that serious wines became, well, a little too serious. It's the brainchild of maverick Wine Hero Naomi Brilliant, granddaughter of the late and great Sonoma County grape grower, Frank Johnson. The small, independent winery was named after the West Coast slang for the ancient children's game, "Rock, Paper, Scissors,"

"Why such a small production? Well, quite frankly… we were a bit scared of it. This is a huge feral beast of a wine. It leaps at you with snarling aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate, pomegranate, and wild game. And it finishes with a foreboding hint of smoke. Any description beyond that is best expressed in the form of animal noises. Our recommended pairing – duck . . . killed with your bare hands (insert Scottish accent)." -from their website

Single Vineyard
Limited Production
Body: Medium
Color: Deep red
Aromas: Dark berries, plum and chocolate with soft tannins and a subtle smokey finish.
Aging: 20 months in 30% new French, 10% new American,, 60% neutral oak
Case Production: Only 294 cases

Eat with: Duck Confit, Grilled Butchers Steak or Grilled Lamb

Farming philosophy
Duff Bevill owns 82 acres of vineyards in the Dry Creek Valley and his company manages more than 800 acres, including Borri Vineyards.
He has been farming in Sonoma County for over three decades. His sustainable farming is based upon grape growing practices that are sensitive to the environment, responsive to the needs and interests of employees and society-at-large, and are economically feasible to implement and maintain.

“I knew that not only would the wines have to be of incredible quality, but the winery would have to reflect a certain playful and adventurous spirit. It had to be a living, breathing artistic endeavor. My goal was to cultivate a snob-free, approachable wine culture that would appeal to people like my friends who had always assumed the grapestuff was too esoteric and exclusive. And I believe we have succeeded in creating incredible wines for those people who resonate with our passionate and free spirited approach. Roshambo has always been about a brazen spirit, a sea change, a new wine culture, and most importantly… You! I hope you enjoy the wines and can sense not just the craftsmanship and nuances of the flavor, but the personality imbued in each bottle.” - Naomi Brilliant

Frank Johnson
The grape growing history of the Dry Creek Valley goes as far back as 140 years. In the early days the agriculture centered around wheat, hops and livestock, but by 1870 French immigrants had established the first winery in the valley. A century later, Frank Johnson, a career inventor and machinist, traded in his successful orthodontic equipment company for a simpler life in Sonoma County. Having grown up on a farm in upstate New York, he always felt a strong connection with the earth and sought to become a gentleman farmer.

He purchased an apple and prune orchard that hugged the Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys, knowing that this unique microclimate would be ideal for growing grapes. He was right. Before long Frank was selling his fruit to some of the most highly acclaimed wineries, and was among California's first vineyard designated grape growers. He took tremendous pride in his fruit and dreamed of someday producing a family estate wine. Roshambo Winery is the fulfillment of that dream. Today, Frank's spirit of innovation and commitment to quality still resonates in every glass.