Winemaker Notes
Dense purple color is accompanied by notes of elegant lavender, roasted blackberry and cassis.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The base 2015 Syrah Santa Barbara County is another stunner, as well as a smoking value! Blackberry jam, blueberries, cracked peppercorns, olives and hints of lavender give way to a full-bodied, voluptuous, pleasure bent beauty that will deliver the goods over the coming decade.
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Wine Spectator
Deeply structured and playing mostly bass notes, this Syrah offers dark berry and crushed rock aromas and plump but dense blueberry, herbes de Provence and licorice flavors. Drink now through 2028. 170 cases made.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Syrah Santa Barbara is another inky colored wine that should represent a terrific value. Full-bodied, sweetly fruited, unctuously textured and balanced, it has tons of black fruits, pepper and spice, solid mid-palate concentration and a great finish, all suggesting it will drink nicely for 4-5 years at the minimum. Barrel Sample: 90-92 Points.
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.