Santa Maria Valley

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We’ve been making Bien Nacido Syrah since 1994, Vineyard manager Chris Hammell continues to work his magic here. Our section in block Z has always produced a wine of distinction, but Hammell’s farming has turned this block into a showcase of how to produce the best syrah grapes. Organic growing, low yields, and painstaking attention to detail have taken these vines to a new level–and the wines show it. This syrah is a wonderful statement of how good Bien Nacido syrah can be: a wine with fascinatingly complex aromas and dense, woodsy, berry fruit and zippy exuberance. This is an intensely flavored but completely delicious wine to drink.

Blend: 100% Syrah | Alc: 13.5% | Vinification: 25% New French Oak | Barrel Aging: 16 Months | Total Production: 319 cases

Press Reviews

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2012 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard is soft, sensual and inviting, yet there is plenty of acidity that brightens the flavors nicely. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate, mint and rose petals are some of the signatures. Still quite primary and fresh, the 2012 needs at least a few years in bottle to develop the full breadth of its aromatics. With a little bit of air, the 2012 is enjoyable today, but the best is still to come.” – AG   95 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Young and unevolved, with beautiful creme de cassis, crushed-rock minerality, black pepper, violet and graphite, the 2012 Syrah Bien Nacido is reminiscent of a solid Hermitage from the fame Le Meal lieu-dit in the Northern Rhone. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully proportioned and seamless, with a layered, silky texture and building tannin on the finish, it could use a tad more mid-palate concentration, yet it’s still a brilliant Syrah that does everything right. Drink it anytime over the coming 10-15 years. ” – JD   95 Points