Winemaker Notes
The Sta. Rita Hills Syrah is a blend of two vineyards from a critical eastern juncture of the appellation, where the grape truly shines. Black currant, pancetta tesa and tapenade introduce a taut, fresh Syrah that takes firm hold of the palate with darker elements of plum skin and cacao nib. Vibrant, though a little stern in its youth, the wine’s structure and penchant for food.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Elegant and savory, this leads with dried lavender, leather and white pepper, with a cured olive cast to the blueberry and black cherry core. There's a minerally essence to the refined tannins, plus lingering notes of fresh pepper and olive. Drink now through 2032. 327 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Syrah Sta. Rita Hills begins with soft scents of wild berries and graphite, taking lots of time to unfold finer nuances of wildflowers. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and bright with understated, floral fruit and a long, mineral-driven finish.
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.