Winemaker Notes
Blend: 86% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Plump blueberries, slate, gravel, turned earth and a light fennel character show on this wine, which comes in a custom bottle exclusive to the appellation's estate-grown Syrahs. The palate shows a lively acidity that briskly expresses the black pepper, black currant and espresso flavors.
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.”
Accounting for only ten percent of the greater Santa Ynez AVA, Ballard Canyon’s north-south orientation provides an ideal pattern of sunshine and martime fog for producing excellent Syrah. While Syrah is planted to half of the total AVA acreage, an additional third is dedicated to other Rhône varieties, red and white.