Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Attention-grabbing aromas of smoked meat, graphite, dark fruit and a touch of black olive converge on the complex and savory nose of this bottling. The palate rides a firm line between fruit flavors and unctuous, meaty tones of peppercorn and salty charcuterie.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another outstanding effort in the lineup, the 2018 Syrah Amor Fati Murmur Vineyard offers rock solid red and black fruits as well as plenty of peppery, meaty, smoky barbecue-like aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied on the palate, it has ripe tannins, wonderful purity, and outstanding length. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
A lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.