Winemaker Notes
This Syrah has beautiful aromas of peony flower dusted in Cacao Nibs with hints of underripe blueberries. The spice of black pepper is hidden at the moment, sure to develop with a few years in the bottle. Open today and enjoy the fresh fruit and flowers or age ten years and beyond as this Syrah produces nuance and complexity.
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
This classic cool-climate Syrah sends up scents of black tea and violets with hints of black pepper. Notes of boysenberry are sensuous and generous within the luxurious, cashmere-lined mouthfeel. Plucky garrigue is accented by soy sauce; a nuanced, gamey quality; and sleek minerality. A superb vintage.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from Block Z where there are a few Viognier vines interplanted with Syrah, and all the grapes are co-fermented. Deep ruby-purple in color, the nose offers classic tar and violet with a core of blueberry jam and touches of powdered sugar, salami and cracked pepper. The palate is full-bodied and powerful with loads of rounded tannins, integrated freshness and a long, perfumed finish streaked with botanical nuances.
-
Wine Spectator
Dark yet fresh aromas of elderberry and violet are spiced by cracked pepper and tar on the focused nose of this estate bottling. The palate is very firm and tense, with a zesty acidity that cuts through those elderberry and dark-purple flower flavors. That grip will last for many years, so drink now–2040.
Cellar Selection -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Estate Syrah (there's 1% Viognier) is another cool-climate, balanced, classic, and incredibly classy wine from this label that has tons to love. Blackberries, peppery herbs, liquid violets, and some gamey nuances give way to a medium-bodied Syrah with fine tannins, a vibrant, crunchy, yet pure mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish.
Rating: 93+
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.