Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the Syrah releases, the 2017 Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard was mostly destemmed (10% stems) and aged 17 months in a mix of stainless steel and oak. Its deep ruby color is followed by a rocking bouquet of blackberries, wild strawberries, olive tapenade, lavender, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, silky, polished, and elegant, it has a terrific mix of freshness and richness, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's a terrific value.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Syrah Purisima Mountain Vineyard features baked black cherries, wild blackberries, black raspberries, turned earth, licorice, chocolate and hints of nutmeg and herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it's very spicy with fine, grainy tannins and juicy freshness, finishing long. A nicely restrained and balanced style of Syrah.
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.