Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard was showing very well, offering up an expressive bouquet of violets, cracked pepper, dried flowers and crushed cassis. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, bright and intense, with chalky structuring tannins, lovely tangy acidity and a long, perfumed finish. Like its 2015 counterpart, this nods to the Northern Rhône in style, but it's a bit more open for inspection.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 300-case 2014 Syrah Bien Nacido incorporates 4% Viognier and saw 40% stems followed by 18 months in mostly neutral barrels (25% new). It is a firm, cool -climate, structured Syrah that dishes up lots of black (some blue) fruits, pepper, charred earth and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, structured and lengthy, it needs 2-3 years of cellaring.
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Wine Enthusiast
Though this bottling still needs a year or so of patience to truly shine, it's a great example of cool-climate low-alcohol Syrah. Dark in the glass, it shows tar and lavender, but the core is like a black and blue pepper-crusted steak, with charred beef, raw beef and strong spice converging. The palate is all about raw meat, fresh-ground black peppercorn and squeaky tannins. Editors’ Choice
Bien Nacido Vineyard, one of Santa Maria Valley’s first and most renowned cool-climate vineyards, has been a celebrated source of world-class grapes and estate wines since its founding by 4th generation farming brothers Bob and Steve Miller. The vineyard’s name, meaning "Well Born" in Spanish, reflects its deep historical roots, having been planted on the historic Rancho Tepusquet land grant. The Miller’s planted the first 300 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1973, capitalizing on the region's unique geography, climate, and meticulously farmed, sustainable vineyards. These ideal conditions have made Bien Nacido Estate Vineyards synonymous with distinctive and expressive wines.
Widely acclaimed, Bien Nacido has been recognized as one of the top 20 terroirs in the world by Wine Spectator and named by Wine Enthusiast as one of the 10 vineyards behind the world’s most famous wines. Known for its cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, the vineyard continues to thrive thanks to its remarkable terroir and a dedicated team that upholds its legacy of excellence with each passing vintage.
Looking ahead, the fifth generation of the Miller family is carrying this legacy forward, shaping the future of Bien Nacido with the same passion and commitment to quality. In 2005, they introduced the Bien Nacido Estate brand—a true reflection of their enduring dedication to farming and winemaking at this world-renowned vineyard. Each vintage is an opportunity to showcase the vineyard’s unique identity, offering a pure expression of the land that has defined Bien Nacido for generations.
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.