Winemaker Notes
The 2017 release is the culmination of the past 20 years of experience in making this wine. Layered, nuanced, textured, beautifully expressive and complex, the 2017 Cuvee le Bec is one of the finest we have ever produced. A blend of 47% Syrah (Purisima Mountain), 34% Grenache (Purisima and Winery Estate Vineyards), 11% Mourvedre (Purisima Mountain) and 7% Counoise (Purisima Mountain), the 2017 explodes out of the glass with red and black fruits, baking spices, pepper, violets, and licorice aromas and flavors. Textured, silky and layered, this is the most elegant and stylistic Cuvee le Bec we have ever produced.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Always a good value, the 2017 Cuvée Le Bec is a Rhône-like blend of 47% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 11% Mourvèdre, and 7% Counoise that saw a touch of stems and was brought up in tank. Its vivid ruby/plum color is followed by a juicy bouquet of blackberries, mulberries, ground pepper, and bouquet garni. Medium-bodied, juicy, and elegant, it has terrific purity, fine tannins, and a clean, classy finish. It's very much in the style of this more fresh, elegant vintage. It's a no-brainer wine that would be a terrific house red for drinking over the coming 4-5 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
This blend of 47% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 11% Mourvèdre and 7% Counoise is one of the best red wines for the price anywhere in California, offering impressive weight and complexity in the $20 range. Aromas of lilac and blackberry drop into a palate full of boysenberry, leather and beef, with a rose-petal freshness. Editors’ Choice.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Ranging from cool and foggy in the west to warm and dry in the east, the Santa Ynez Valley is a climatically diverse growing area. The most expansive AVA within the larger Santa Barbara County region, Santa Ynez is also home to a wide variety of soil types and geographical features. The appellation is further divided into four distinct sub-AVAs—Sta. Rita Hills, Ballard Canyon, Los Olivos District and Happy Canyon—each with its own defining characteristics.
A wide selection of grapes is planted here—more than sixty different varieties, and counting. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate in the chilly west, while Zinfandel, Rhône blends, and Bordeaux blends rule the arid east. Syrah is successful at both ends of the valley, with a lean and peppery, Old-World sensibility closer to the coast and lush berry fruit further inland.