California Syrah: top Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo wines

Individual AVA analysis and top California Syrah from:

Sonoma County, Mendocino County, Napa County & Sierra Foothills, Santa Barbara County, Monterey County

San Luis Obispo County on California’s Central Coast is home to Paso Robles. The mission statement of this key AVA was to become a literal and figurative midpoint between Santa Barbara County and Napa Valley.

Many of the soil types in Paso Robles are rare in California, especially those from ancient seabeds containing pure limestone. The Pacific Ocean moderates the often-intense daytime temperatures here, giving large diurnal swings that benefit aromatics in the wines.

Scroll down for the top-scoring Paso Robles & San Luis Obispo Syrahs

Importer Robert Haas founded Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso’s Adelaida District in 1990. Its location was selected in part due to its limestone bedrock, similar to that of its ‘sister winery’, Château de Beaucastel in the Rhône’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation.

While Tablas Creek focuses on the full range of red and white Rhône grapes, its single-varietal Syrah is a solid example of the elegance that can be achieved in Paso Robles.

Fans of concentrated Rhône blends that feature Syrah should look no further than Saxum. This winery sources fruit from multiple vineyards across Paso Robles, but the James Berry and Booker sites in Willow Creek District are of particular note.

These wines are decidedly ripe and forward but impressively balanced, with a solid core of acidity. This tightrope is a difficult one to walk, but winemaker Justin Smith has built a consistent reputation here.

In the southern part of San Luis Obispo County is the Edna Valley AVA, whose wines range from energetic and understated to ripe powerhouses similar to those of Paso Robles.

Alban Vineyards has made a name for itself here with the latter style. Santa Barbara producers also source grapes from Edna Valley – notably Qupé from the Sawyer Lindquist vineyard and Storm Wines from Slide Hill.

Matthew Luczy’s top Paso Robles & San Luis Obispo Syrahs

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