HEALDSBURG, Calif. — , the newest label from Sonoma County’s iconic , and a brand that specializes in ultra-luxury, high-elevation wines, has received three perfect 100-point scores with review of 2018 and 2019 vintages. The ROWEN wines that achieved perfect scores are the 2018 “600R”, the 2019 “600R”, and 2019 “600L” as reviewed by Meridith May, and will appear in the December 2024/January 2025 issue of the magazine.
All three high-elevation wines are hand-picked and meticulously crafted in the style of Bordeaux blends. “600” refers to the 600-liter French oak barrels the wines are both fermented and aged in. The “R” in the 600R wines refers to the Bordeaux region’s Right Bank Merlot and Cabernet Franc blends, while the “L” in the 600L wines refers to the Left Bank blends based primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon.
This milestone marks the first time a RSWE wine has received a 100-point score—notable considering the winery’s 65-year history. Current owner Tom Klein, a third-generation farmer and businessman, and his family purchased the winery 35 years ago. Launched in 2019, ROWEN Wine Company is a study in terroir focused on 200 vineyard acres planted on The Cooley Ranch, a remote and historic property high in the mountains above Lake Sonoma in the very northern reaches of Sonoma County.
“The Cooley Ranch, with its red metamorphic soils and high elevation, sitting above the fog line, yields grapes with intense concentration of flavors and ripe.