2015 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY SYRAH

Santa Barbara CountySYSB small

add to cart View The Vineyard Aging Recomendations onesheet

This is our 33nd vintage of syrah! So, is this 2015 Syrah Santa Barbara County just like the previous vintages? Well, no, and that’s been the fabulous thing about remaining a tiny, crafty winery. Instead of focusing on growing the size of the operation we have focused on growing the craft. Lots of talk, lots of tasting, and plenty of experimentation over the years has brought us to this point. And the point is that in 2015 we produced a particularly accessible, delicious wine. More than ever we are focused on bringing out syrah’s peppery, food friendly personality by avoiding harvesting over-ripe grapes. And in the winery we’ve modified our fermentation and aging regime to bring out the natural exuberance of this fascinating grape varietal. The 2015 is comprised of mostly cool climate syrah grapes from vineyards stretching from Santa Maria to Lompoc in northern Santa Barbara County. While warmer sites produce easygoing if thick versions of the varietal, cooler sites preserve the lively, exotic floral and spicy side of syrah—and that’s the style that we like to drink and share with friends.

The 2015 is comprised of 58% Cottonwood Canyon Syrah, 28% Roll Ranch Syrah and 14% Sebastiano Grenache. The wine was fermented in small open topped fermenters using 25% whole clusters and was pressed off into mostly older French oak barrels for 15 months of aging. Bottled in December of 2016, this beauty is already showing off its stuff.

Blend: 100% Syrah | Alc: 13.5% | Vinification: New French Oak | Barrel Aging: Months | Total Production: 1429 cases

Press Reviews

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“Coming from a mix of all seven single vineyards, the 2015 Syrah Santa Barbara County is gorgeous, and lovers of elegant, cool-climate Syrah should snatch up this wine. Blackcurrants, blueberries, violets and hints of peppered meats give way to a rounded, supple, juicy palate that’s not lean in the least.” – JD 91 Points

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2015 Syrah (Santa Barbara County) is a gorgeous wine that punches above its weight. Sweet tobacco, herb, licorice, menthol and dark-fleshed fruit meld together effortlessly. Dark, pliant and inviting, but not at all heavy, the 2015 has much to offer. Floral and savory overtones from a combination of cool sites and 30% stems add notable character. The 2015 is a bit tannic for an appellation-level Syrah. Even so, this is impressive stuff.” – AG 90 points