Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Syrah Holus Bolus (I don’t think these names could be more confusing) is a blend of 100% Syrah that spent 14 months in 1- to 3-year-old barrels. It’s a seriously impressive effort that possesses an inky purple color to go with loads of chocolatey dark fruit, scorched earth and sweet oak-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, voluptuously textured and a bona fide fruit bomb, it nevertheless has beautiful purity, integrated acidity and a clean, focused finish. It’s a high-class crowd-pleaser.
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 superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.