Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A big, rich, concentrated, yet elegant and balanced expression of the variety, the inky colored 2014 Petite Sirah Thompson Vineyard has tons of ripe blackberry, plum, mint and sappy herbs in its full-bodied, focused and pure profile. It should keep for a decade or more.
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Wine Spectator
The 2015 Viognier Bien Nacido Vineyard is a gorgeous, nuanced white with tons of varietal purity and class. Bright and restrained, the 2015 delivers notable flavor intensity in an understated style that is highly appealing. Sweet floral and honeyed notes add a kick of intensity on the close.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
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.