Winemaker Notes
Blend: 47% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A fresh array of boysenberry, black raspberry, white pepper, crushed violet and dried lavender show on the nose of this bottling by Michael Larner. It's a very lively wine on the sip, with more boysenberry and black pepper as well as crushed lilac character.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from 100% Malvasia Bianca, the 2015 Malvasia Bianca is an outstanding, exotic and incredibly floral white that has loads of white peach, orange blossom, mint and honeysuckle aromas and flavors. Clean and lively on the palate, it will be a perfect white to pair with a starter cheese course.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.