Winemaker Notes
Flavors of Black cherry, Plum, Blackberry, Dried herbs, Dark chocolate, Smoked meat. Aromas of Blackberry, Blueberry, Red plum, Smoke, Dried tobacco, Anise, White pepper, Black cherry.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming mostly from the Rodney's Vineyard, the inky colored 2016 Syrah Santa Barbara County offers a smoky, meaty, barbecue-laced bouquet of dark fruits as well as a rich, full-bodied, nicely concentrated and textured style on the palate. It's another impeccably made, totally delicious wine from winemaker Blair Fox. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years.
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Wine Spectator
Plump and zesty, showing layered blackberry, grilled anise and pepper flavors that finish with refined tannins. Drink now through 2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
Quite dense on the nose, this well-priced county-wide blend offers aromas of black currant, roasted berries, charred meat, and lilacs. It's thick on the palate, where the creamy mouthfeel reveals coffee and charred berry flavors.
Established in 1989, Fess Parker Winery is a multi-generational family owned and operated winery that has a rich heritage in Santa Barbara County. Fess Parker produces premium, small-lot, vineyard designated Burgundian varietals from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley as well as Rhône varietals from their organically farmed, SIP Certified estate vineyard.
Outstanding fruit sources, including some of the finest vineyards in the county, coupled with skilled winemaking, led by Blair Fox, form the foundation for the winery’s success. Now three generations in, the Fess Parker Family is proud to carry on Fess’s legacy of wine heritage and hospitality in Santa Barbara.
Fess Parker Winery was proud to be named a Top 100 Winery in the World by Wine & Spirits Magazine in both 2022 and 2023.
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.”
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.