2019 Santa Lucia Highlands "Sierra Mar Vineyard" Syrah
100% Syrah
Picked October 12th, nine days before Rosella’s Vineyard, yields were near average this year, coming in at 4 tons to the acre. As usual, we opted for 22% whole cluster, just enough to make a positive contribution to aromatics and mouthfeel but not so much as to overwhelm the vineyard’s character. Like many of our wines in this vintage, we did not inoculate for fermentation, leaving it to whatever strains were thriving in the winery. After 26 days on the skins, the wine was pressed to all French oak, 18% new. Unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
Very dark purple-ruby. Aromas of blackberry, white lilies, milk chocolate, and a whiff of buttered popcorn. On the palate, medium-full to full bodied with plenty of black fruits and a wonderful creamy texture. Creamy texture seems to be a recurring theme among our 2019 reds. Suave tannins build through the long finish. Overall, a bit tightly coiled upon opening but with air, that wonderful Santa Lucia Highland’s savory-ness emerges. Given that the bottle I opened for this tasting note didn’t hit full stride until day five, I’d suggest putting this away for a while and enjoying from 2026 to 2036. (MRO - 01/17/22)