Winemaker Notes
When you put your nose in the glass think of cracked pepper, black currant and raspberry with a touch of vanilla on the finish. The finish will last a long time from the high level of acid and tannin.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard is a perfumed powerhouse! Opaque ruby-purple, it has a concentrated core of cassis with touches of tar, thyme, grilled meats, menthol and bitter chocolate. The full-bodied palate is ripe and concentrated with surprising freshness for its style. It has a pleasantly chalky frame and a very long finish replete with violet perfume. This hedonistic Syrah could use another 5+ years in bottle to unwind and will be long-lived in the cellar. Best After 2024
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Jeb Dunnuck
Black and blue fruits, cracked pepper, game, bouquet garni, and violet notes all emerge from the 2021 Syrah Colson Canyon Vineyard, another gorgeous Syrah offering remarkable density and power while staying balanced and graceful. With a great mid-palate, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish, it's another awesome vintage from this site that readers should snatch up. This wine ages gracefully and will have two decades of longevity.
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Wine Spectator
This is distinguished by a brooding personality and intense flavors of blackberry, raspberry, stony mineral and smoked meat flavors that build tension toward medium-grained tannins. Best from 2024 through 2032.
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.