What: Sleight of Hand Cellars Psychedelic Syrah Stoney Vine Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2013 $60 

Where: QFC Bellevue, Esquin Wine and Spirits, Winery 

Why: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater is a hotbed of grapevine planting. The area, a sub-region of the Walla Walla Valley, is part of an ancestral riverbed, where the soil is made up of fist-sized cobblestones. 

French-born vigneron Christophe Baron (Cayuse Vineyards, No Girls, Horsepower) first planted grapevines in this region in 1997. Over the years, Baron’s wines have become known both for their stratospheric quality (for example, they comprised the top four spots in our annual Top 100 list this year) and also their limited availability, with a many years-long waiting list for the chance to purchase them. 

More recently, numerous other wineries have been planting vines in the Rocks District, providing consumers with a greater opportunity to experience what wines from this unique area taste like. One of these wineries is Sleight of Hand Cellars. 

The 2013 Sleight of Hand Cellars Psychedelic Syrah Stoney Vine Vineyard Walla Walla Valley ($60) is a top-notch example of this region. The wine is loaded with the peat, dried flower, fire pit, and funk aromas that this region is known for. The flavors are rich and sumptuous. It’s a complete stunner—the best wine that the winery has made to date.