Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard is a soft, supple and forward effort that dishes out rocking black raspberry, cassis, licorice, white pepper and hints of gaminess on the nose. All Syrah, completely destemmed, and aged in 40% new French oak, enjoy this medium to full-bodied, sexy effort over the coming 4-5 years.
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Wine Enthusiast
This entry-level look at the family vineyard that overlooks Ballard Canyon and beyond brings scents of graphite, pepper, blackberry and dried, slightly dank herbs. It’s tight and tart at first on the palate, with skins of black cherry and plum unwinding into pencil shavings, oregano, wood and emergent mushrooms. The tannins are best for drinking 2017–2025.
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.”
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.