Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I love the wines from Jim Binn’s Andremily label, and the 2013 Andremily No 2 is an incredible effort that offers blockbuster styled aromatics with an elegant, seamless, silky style on the palate. Crème de cassis, jammy blackberries, ground pepper, and exotic lavender notes change beautifully in the glass, and while it’s going to be very long-lived, it’s already a joy to drink. Enjoy this blend of 85% Syrah, 11% Mourvèdre, and 4% Viognier anytime over the coming two decades or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The second release from Andremily's Jim Binns, the No 2 is an utterly profound blend of 85% Syrah, 11% Mourvèdre and 4% Viognier that saw a touch of whole cluster fermentation and 23 months in 62% new French oak barrels. Its inky purple color is followed by an incredibly pure bouquet of creme de cassis, pepper, caramelized meat, violets and hints of lavender. Big, full-bodied and luxuriously textured, it has a firm, structured, concentrated mid-palate as well as ripe tannin, notable freshness and a finish that just won't quite. Give this incredibly youthful, even backwards 2013 four to five years of cellaring, and enjoy bottles over the following two decades. Hats off to the team at Andremily!
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.”
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.