Winemaker Notes
The Santa Barbara County Syrah is as always, a beautiful representation of the diverse vineyards all around the appellation. These grapes are coming from five unique vineyards, in which some are cool and fog-influenced, while others are dry and windy. The resulting wine celebrates all that each microclimate and soils. Bright black and blue fruits as well as some peppery, violets, and exotic floral nuances. It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, and a great finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Syrah Santa Barbara County will be gorgeous, offering bright black and blue fruits as well as some peppery, violets, and exotic floral nuances. It's beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, and a great finish.
Barrel Sample: 92-95 -
Wine Spectator
This rich and complex version leads with details of lilac, toasted herbs, slate and pepper that yield a deeply concentrated core of cherry, brambly raspberry and cassis. A subtle, caviarlike, salty brine–umami note on the back end drives the finish, where there’s a bit of tannins. Lingers around mineral and herb flavors.
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.