Winemaker Notes
Blend: 96% Syrah, 4% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I was able to taste two vintages of the MJM cuvee. The 2019 Syrah MJM reveals a deep purple/plum color as well as up-front notes of blue fruits, candied violets, new leather, and peppery herbs. It's tight, tannic, concentrated, and balanced on the palate, with tons of potential.
Rating:95+ -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Syrah MJM comes mostly from the John Sebastiano Vineyard and was matured for 28 months in barrel. It has a medium ruby-purple color and aromas of blueberry and blackberry preserves, coffee beans, dark chocolate, menthol and lavender. Medium-bodied, silky and seamless, it has a generous core of dark fruit and a long, spicy finish.
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James Suckling
Blackberry, white pepper, dried meat and a hint of chocolate. Medium body, fine tannins and a beautiful finish. 27 months in barrel. A serious wine. Reserved. Needs time to open. Decant before serving.
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.