Winemaker Notes
The 2016 has beautiful fruit aromas with layers of exotic spices which follow through on the palate, layered with savory fruit notes.
This pairs well with anything from BBQ chicken salad to a nice hearty stew.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A head-turner that would stand up easily in a blind flight of top Côte Rôties, the 2016 Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard boasts a ruby/purple hue as well as perfumed notes of black raspberries, violets, flowery incense, and cedar. Medium-bodied, utterly seamless, and beautifully balanced, it’s a knockout bottle of Syrah from a great vineyard and great winemaking team! It will keep for at least a decade.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby, the 2016 Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard opens broody with scents of tar and scorched earth over blackberries, olive, cured meats, aniseed and fried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers good intensity of fresh black fruit and savory accents, with a chewy frame and great freshness, finishing long. 307 cases were made.
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.