Crushed blackberry, wild sage, cherry compote. Mirabelle plum, blue hydrangea, medjool date. Wet briar and rosemary, whole peppercorn and cedar. A medley of bright black and red fruit led by fig and strawberry blasts off with tartness and tension into savory spices and salinity. Gristle and charcoal add depth without weight. An extraordinarily visceral and high energy wine, boasting surprisingly pronounced acidity and structure. This 2016 Upper Crust Syrah by Babcock Winery is delicate and decadent Santa Barbara Syrah.
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Rancho Sisquoc was originally part of a Mexican land grant from way back 1852. It is located in Foxen Canyon and falls within the Santa Maria Valley appellation of Santa Barbara County California. While the SMV is typically a cool-climate growing zone, Rancho Sisquoc sits at the far eastern end of this region and is distinguishably warmer. This bottling, crafted by Babcock Winery using fruit from the Rancho Sisquoc Vineyard, is an awesome achievement. It is completely balanced yet buzzing with exuberance and life. This stuff oozes complexity and manages to achieve power and concentration without any hint of excess weight. The fruit profile here is high toned and juicy yet leaves room for meaty, earthy, and spiced notes to flourish. Simply beautiful stuff from a gorgeous section of Santa Barbara County.