Winemaker Notes
The pretty lavender on the nose belies the smooth decadence in the mouth. Hilltops might be the ultimate example of the suppleness of the 2018 vintage. After letting the wine breathe, gorgeous deep shades of red emerge in force, a wave washing through from nose to finish. The wine hits a silky, velvety stride that makes it tough to resist hoarding bottles.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Seeing 30% whole clusters, the deep purple-colored 2018 Syrah Hilltops is another vibrant, cool-climate style Syrah with loads to love. Blackberries, black raspberries, ground pepper, violets, and a touch of cured meat all emerge from the glass, and it's beautifully polished, with a great texture, ripe tannins, and the balance to evolve for 10-12 years or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium to deep ruby-purple, the 2018 Syrah Hilltops Estate takes time to give up mint chocolate, tar, aniseed and coffee beans with a core of fresh blackcurrant fruit and touches of violet. The medium-bodied palate is elegantly styled with restrained, floral fruits, a gently chalky frame and long, lifted 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.”
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.