Winemaker Notes
Sourced from renowned Bien Nacido Vineyard, the Syrah grapes used to craft this wine spent their days under the California sun and their nights with a cool, coastal breeze. These ideal conditions led to intense fruit flavors and distinct acidity that distinguish this delicious wine. Opening with aromas of black plum, blue lingonberry, juniper and sloe berry, the nose begins to pick up hints of black pepper and leather. The palate fills with rich flavors of teriyaki beef jerky, black pepper, angelica root, maple smoke and sweet brandy. Before the long, smokey finish, this wine reveals hints of pepper and brown spice with intense and rich tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Winemaker Joey Tensley certainly has a way with Syrah, and from this vineyard it's a superstar. A coating of licorice and tarry plum demonstrates concentration and confidence. Fresh herbs and crushed boysenberry lengthen on the palate with a dash of black pepper and a glide of sleek minerality.
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James Suckling
Succulent, with ripe blackberries, crushed amarena cherries and violets woven with cracked pink peppercorns and a light dusting of sweet toasty spice. There is a crunchiness to this wine, and that structure throws the generosity of fruit into very appealing relief. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
Deep and dark aromas of black currant, charred beef, and light tar converge on the nose of this wine. Black plum flavor leads on the core of the palate, where prominent green peppercorn flavors ride a buoyant acidity long into the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Loam, herb, wild strawberry and red currant details are silky upon entry but then build tension around graphite and peppercorn notes. Finishes with firm but focused tannins. Best after 2026.
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 lesser-known but elite AVA within the larger Santa Barbara district, the Santa Maria Valley AVA runs precisely west to east starting near the coast. The valley funnels cool, Pacific Ocean air to the vineyards more inland, allowing grapes a longer hang time to ripen evenly and achieve their full potential by harvest time. Combined with minimal rainfall, consistent warm sunshine, and well-drained soils, it is an ideal environment for grape growing.
Many of the wineries here are small and highly respected, having established a reputation in the 1970s and 80s for producing excellent Central Coast wines like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. More recently, Syrah has also proven quite successful in the region. Many vineyards are owned by growers who sell their grapes to other wineries, so it is common to see the same vineyard name on bottlings from different wineries. Bien Nacido Vineyard is perhaps the best-known and most prestigious.