California Syrah: top Santa Barbara County wines

Always among California's best Syrahs, XO is sourced from Bien Nacido Vineyards' famed X-Block. These vines were planted in 1973, this section being grafted to...

A massive, burly nose of eucalyptus, huckleberry, coffee and earthy mesquite wood. The flavours follow the nose, within a powerful, muscular frame. A seemingly endless...

An intriguing, complex nose of nori seaweed, allspice, cardamom and cured meat. Dense, punchy and oily on the palate, lifted by energetic acidity and a...

Fruit from the John Sebastiano and Bien Nacido vineyards come together for this broad-shouldered, powerhouse, showing ripe, forward flavours of açai berry, plum compote and...

A classic, savoury Syrah profile of beef jerky, green olive and cracked pepper, with lift from 2% Viognier in this vintage. The succulent palate is...

Aromas of damp leaves, cured meat and cigar box spice. Thanks to 25% whole-cluster fermentation, the palate is buoyant and fresh, with intense pepper and...

From vines planted to the Alban clone in 2013 on sand and silt. The nose shows black plum and sandalwood framed by subtle vegetal notes....

The John Sebastiano vineyard continues to prove itself one of California's top Syrah sites. Classic spice- and herb-driven aromas meld with ripe red fruits and...

Aromas of milk chocolate, rosemary and spearmint. Considerably more depth and power than the estate bottling, as well as more apparent new oak. Well-integrated even...

Only 0.2ha of Syrah is planted at this vineyard and The Ojai Vineyard is the sole recipient of the fruit, meaning just two barrels were...

The Duvarita Vineyard, just west of the Sta Rita Hills border, is biodynamically farmed, and this 100% destemmed Syrah is a darker, deeper more spice-driven...

The Franc de Pied block at John Sebastiano Vineyard is a specific planting of low-yielding, own-rooted Alban clone Syrah. The 2018 expression of this fruit...

At first this was somewhat muted but it evolved non-stop over many hours covering an impressive amount of ground. Inward and brambly to begin, then...

In 2017, the Estate Syrah from Stolpman Vineyards is lively on the nose, deep and concentrated on the palate, and immediately accessible. 50% whole cluster...

A the eastern edge of the Sta Rita Hills, the John Sebastiano Vineyard delivers the silky, perfumed side of Santa Barbara Syrah. This wine was...

The XO Syrah from Bien Nacido Estates shows off the famed X Block, the first cool-climate Syrah planted in California. Dating to 1987, there's a...

Fruit for this wine was sourced from the vineyards oldest Syrah plantings and fermented with a touch of stems. Savoury, dense, pretty and saline, it...

Green olives, charred black fruit and dried tobacco on the nose, while the palate is classic, middle-weight Santa Barbara Syrah with a juicy, leathery, saline...

A smouldering, swirling nose of red plums, red liquorice and cured meat leads to a blue-fruited, charred palate. The fleshy yet elegant finish carries notes...

<p>Some of the best Syrah expressions in Santa Barbara County tend to come from sites also planted to Burgundian varietals, as evidenced by The Ojai...

Beckmen’s 125-acre Purisima Mountain Vineyard is a centrepiece of Ballard Canyon, and is now farmed completely biodynamically. The 2016 Syrah from this site displays a...