Wine Can Be Purchased Here:
Santa Maria Valley
Coming off the bravado of the drought-stressed 2015 release, our 2016 Bien Nacido Syrah shows a different kind of intensity. 2015 gave painfully low yields and lots of sunshine, whereas 2016 gave an extended veraison thanks to cool, ocean-driven breezes and fog. Both traits, though poles of each other, mark vintages with intense flavor.
In this case 2016 provided sexy and sleek Bien Nacido Syrah. It renders some of that coveted Northern Rhone intricacy with meaty, Earth-scored fruit, coming on as a swift current of sweeter red flavors streaked by cooler, bluer notions of cassis. What’s different coming off four drought vintages now is an especially lithe and focused feel. The voluminous fruit in the 2015 (which admittedly made a compelling wine for premature drinking) is flipped into a locomotive push into the fascinating layers of game and spice.
Your head goes to that scent of spices blooming their essence as rubbed-up red meat browns over coals, with coriander and peppercorns weeping over smoke. Those more bassy and carnivorous elements are buoyed, per usual, by floral and minty treble that lifts the wine start to finish. This bottling is a classic representation of the mature vines on the sun mottled hillside of Bien Nacido—exuberant, savory and deeply earthy. Decant it for now, or if you happen to have a child/niece/nephew born in 2016, be cool and tuck some of this away for when they turn 21.
Blend: 100% Syrah | Alc: 13.9% | Vinification: traditional open top fermentation with 12% whole clusters | Barrel Aging: 22 months in French oak barrels, 15% new | Total Production: 312 cases
Press Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck:
“The 2016 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard offers more minerality, and well as dark, black fruits and pepper to go with a medium to full-bodied, smoky, meaty style on the palate. If the John Sebastiano Vineyard can be thought of as a Cote Rotie, this is much more Hermitage in style. Give bottles a year or two and enjoy over the following decade.” – 95 Points
Antonio Galloni’s Vinous:
“In this range, the 2016 Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard is racy, polished and sensual. Floral top notes add brightness to a core of sweet red/purplish berry fruit. But the Bien Nacido Syrah is ultimately a wine of textural silkiness, nuance and finesse. All the elements are wonderfully fused together.” – 93 Points