Winemaker Notes
Colson Canyon is such a beautiful example of fruit forward juicy California Syrah. Open it anytime and enjoy its blueberry, cassis and chocolate nuances or leave it 20 years and enjoy its leathery, almondy notes. It does not really matter when you open it, it will deliver.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Just a brilliant wine with so much to love, the 2020 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard offers red, blue, and black fruits with tons of peppery herbs, blood orange, and Côte Rôtie-like spring flowers all defining its aromatics. All Syrah aged in roughly 20% new French oak, it's medium to full-bodied on the palate and has a balanced, focused, elegant mouthfeel with beautiful precision. Despite coming from a scorching hot vintage, it has freshness and a surprisingly pretty, elegant style.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-purple, the 2020 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard offers very pretty aromas of cassis, aniseed and dried lavender with slowly emerging scents of orange peel, dried earth and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate is plush and inviting, with an appealing balance of savory fruit and bright spice, and it finishes with tremendous lift and length. This is super drinkable!
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Wine Spectator
This red combines grace with power, with expressive blackberry and blueberry flavors that show garrigue, river stone and smoked pepper tones, finishing with big but refined tannins. Drink now
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.”
With a dry and mild climate cooled significantly by moist ocean fog and breezes, Santa Barbara County is a grape-grower’s dream. Part of the larger Central Coast appellation, Santa Barbara is home to Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The conditions here provide an opportunity for nearly effortless production of high-quality cool-climate Central Coast wines. This is also the site of the 2004 film Sideways, which caused Pinot Noir’s popularity to skyrocket and brought new acclaim to the region.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars of Santa Barbara, producing wines marked by racy acidity. Crisp Sauvignon Blanc and savory Syrah are also important. The region is home to many young and enthusiastic winemakers eager to experiment with less common varieties including Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, Trousseau Gris, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, making it an exciting area to watch.