WINERY REFLECTIONS

Raspberry jam, white pepper, cherry pie filling. Dried goji berry, fragrant peonies, sweet red plum. An impressively rich and expressive parade of strawberry preserves, ripe blueberry, and cranberry compote booms with excellent juiciness and concentration while wafts of blooming rose and cherry blossom enhance aromatics with pronounced waves of floral perfume. Hints of sage, coastal chaparral, and scrub brush gently reveal lightly wild underpinnings that intersect with intriguing spice notes of anise and cardamom. Suggestions of sandy soils and fresh ocean air provide reflections of lightly saline earthiness that are largely outshined by the plump and forward fruit. Notably bold, saturated, and youthful on the palate while layered with generously ripe and almost candied qualities; exhibiting an outgoing and plush yet well balanced presentation that nicely captures both its terroir and varietal composition. Full bodied with just under medium tannin backed by moderate acidity. This 2016 Camp 4 Vineyard "Spe'y" by Kitá Wines is an interesting and well made Rhone red blend from Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley.

Located just over the Santa Ynez Mountains from Santa Barbara where it has long been the home of the native Chumash people, the Santa Ynez Valley contains miles of gorgeous oak-studded rolling hills that have more recently proven to be ideally suited to producing absolutely world-class wine. This bottling, crafted by Chumash owned and operated Kitá Wines using a blend of 70% Grenache/24% Carignane/6% Syrah sourced from their estate Camp 4 Vineyard, is an exciting example of the beauty and balance that this idyllic region can shape in its wines. This playfully radiates a rich and ripe red-fruited core complicated by highly aromatic floral tones, pleasant sage-led natural notes, pretty spices, and charming earthiness. Although already over a half-decade old this is still quite youthful and primary in character, and should hold well for another 5+ years with ease. Excellent.