January 2024Wines of the Month

For the wine snob: A vineyard-wide blend accounts for 70% of the blend, with 30% sourced from Ruben Solorzano’s vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County. Fermentation occurs in open-top concrete tanks for 21 days. The wine is then aged in 100% neutral French Ermitage 500L oak Puncheons for 6 months.

For the rest of us: Soft, deep purple plum brimmed with a crackling flame of red. A coating plushness fills the mouth prior to lifted fresh red fruits rising again towards the finish. The red fruits fill a spectrum from firm cherry to riper berry coulis. Subtle acidity married with the red berry fruit and loamy, silty tannin all combine to last in the mouth for minutes in a delicately balanced, feathered finish.

For the wine snob: Cold, windy conditions in the spring resulted in a lower yielding, flavor-packed vintage. This blend consists of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre. It is held 12-24 hours for fermentation to kick off “carbonic” or whole-grape fermentation prior to pressing. Extended fermentation occurred in cool, stainless steel tanks.

For the rest of us: White blossom, acacia and rose petal on the nose. Strawberry shortcake and peach on the front palate with a velvety, airy texture reminiscent of tasting angel food cake for the first time as a child. Balancing acid with the soft floral and fruit notes.

For the wine snob: This is a blend of 40% Syrah whole-cluster, carbonic fermentation, 35% Syrah de-stemmed, traditional fermentation, 25% Petit Verdot de-stemmed, traditional fermentation. All fermentation occurred in stainless steel tanks, and then moved to 100% neutral oak barrels for 7 months.

For the rest of us: A delicate, medium-bodied perfection all about the red hues. Concentrated Petit Verdot density plays sneakily on the mid-palate before swooping back up to a crisp finish of wild berries and red apples. The gentle touch of early-harvested, whole-grape fermented Syrah carries the day, relying on balancing acidity rather than dry tannins on the finish. The crushed Syrah plays a secondary role in giving the wine a pleasurable lushness behind the fresh, crunchy red fruits.

For the wine snob: This wine blends 90% Santa Ynez Valley Mourvèdre with 10% Santa Barbara Highlands Grenache. Whole clusters were directly pressed for fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine was kept at extremely cold temperature for freshness and natural stability.

For the rest of us: Uber fresh orange blossom and hibiscus. Crunchy and bright with a zesty red fruit layer charging through the palate right up to the crisp finish. Bone dry and only 11% alcohol, like all great Mourvèdre Rosé, the tactile layers carry the day. As the wine settles into the glass and warms up, a misty ground-fog of airy texture creeps through the mouth allowing the tangy, spicy fruit profile to swirl, elevated within.

For the wine snob: This is a varietal blend of Syrah with a little bit of Viognier. Whole-cluster, native fermentation took place for 9-10 days in sealed, stainless steel tanks. Later, the clusters were pressed into a settling tank to finish primary fermentation. This red wine utilized both French oak and stainless steel aging.

For the rest of us: On the nose, a swirling fruit punch vortex with layered olive and black fruit. On the palate, ripe plum flesh and juiciness.

For the wine snob: A cold spring set up a late-ripening vintage, ideal for Roussanne that gradually accumulates sugar deep into Fall. Roussanne retained healthy acidity as weather remained moderate without the heatwaves experienced in 2020. This wine is 70% Roussanne and 30% Chardonnay, with native fermentation that took place in French oak barrels. The wine was then aged in French oak for another 5 months.

For the rest of us: Golden Pineapple, white flowers, and Asian pear backed by tangerine citrus. Delightful fuzziness all over from the nose through the mouth. Fresh, crunchy acidity compliments the full bodied richness of the mid-palate and provides a titillating cut under the fleshy, cloudy textures.

For the wine snob: 100% Syrah, half of the harvest was de-stemmed, while half remained in whole-clusters. Native fermentation occurred in concrete tanks for 15-25 days. It was aged in French oak barrels for 9 months.

For the rest of us: This wine carries a torch of intense, high toned red fruit with a captivating fleshy texture. Delicately silky yet deceivingly thick and round mouthfeel backed by playfully chalky tannin. Ripe, dense cherry and fiery red plum shine brightness through the palate. A wine of flare and unabashed confidence, certainly a high water mark for the flagship Estate Grown Syrah cuvee.

For the wine snob: 88% Roussanne and 12% Chardonnay, these grapes were crushed and pressed immediately after harvest, and no sulfur was added through fermentation. The wine was aged in French oak for 8 months.

For the rest of us: Lemon energy froths and surges from the nose through the mouth. The wave of energy becomes brimmed with ripe, tropical pineapple. Mouth-filling and viscous, yet airy and wispy, with perhaps some fresh coconut flesh and a quenching, long-lived finish. 2022 Roussanne is bottled unfined and unfiltered, and some bottles show a faint haze that plays into a soft, billowy texture.