Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Very savory aromas of roasted lamb, bacon fat, teriyaki and crushed pepper meet with light blueberry and a touch of mint on the nose of this delicious, well-rounded bottling by winemaker Sashi Moorman from the vineyard's oldest blocks. The palate kicks off with a zesty acidity, then come waves of black pepper-crusted beef roast, oregano, bay leaf, dark plum fruit and lavender. The solid structure ensures cellar potential but it's ready to drink today.
Editors' Choice. -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Syrah Originals Estate is another outstanding effort from winemaker Sashi Moorman. Made in a ripe, textured and hedonistic style, it has beautiful purity in its blueberry, blackberry, salty mineral and creamy licorice aromas and flavors. Fermented with 65% whole clusters and aged 15 months in neutral French oak, it’s upfront and ready to go, but will keep nicely for 4-6 years.
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.