Finding information to share about Sean Thackrey's wines is about as challenging as locating Thackrey's Bolinas property, which is located an hour north of San Francisco in western Marin County. Thackrey's rustic winery-in-a-eucalyptus grove is only accessible via a twisting road that ends at the Pacific's edge, according to the Wine Spectator. The highly-allocated results are made in Thackrey's distinctive style: powerful and intense with rugged tannins using methods culled from ancient texts, mostly translated. (Thackerey reads seven languages).

The Rossi Vineyard is a 5-acre parcel on Madrone Avenue in St. Helena across the street from Spottswoode, planted in 1905. It was sold to the Rossi Family in 1937 and several years ago Carole Meredith of UC Davis tried to identify the vines. There were 11 different types, five of which could not be identified, but were possible clones of Syrah or Petite Sirah.

Stylistically it is indeed its own thing, full of deep black fruits, baking spices, plums, chocolate thin mint girl scout cookies on the nose. But on the palate, the mint character recedes, and the voluptuous fruit and spice take hold, a caressing black raspberry character with hints of potpourri, rhubarb (?) and roasted meats. The wine is a frigging meal unto itself! The flavors explode on the palate, leaving behind ripe luxurious tannins in its wake. The half a bottle remaining we kept around to look at the next day tasted even better after 24 hours.