2016 Estate Syrah - Zotovich Vineyards & Winery

Spiced boysenberry, whole black olive, tart blueberry. Black licorice, wild sage, peeled plum skin. Fresh rosemary and peat moss, smoked meat and sarsaparilla. Foraged blackberry, fresh fig, and cherry pit muddle with cracked pepper and herb seasoned game in a magnificent expression of vibrant fruit harmonizing with pronounced savory complexity. Building impressions of bramble and tree bark continue the spirited feral edge softened slightly by vanilla and mild baking spices. Lively and lean on the palate yet still remarkably expressive, finishing with highly nuanced terroir-driven notes of sandy earth and ocean brine. Medium in body with elevated tannin and acidity. This 2016 Estate Syrah by Zotovich Vineyards & Winery is an outstanding cool climate red from the Santa Rita Hills.

Santa Barbara County's Santa Rita Hills appellation may be one of California's greatest growing zones for Pinot Noir, but the Syrah coming from this cold and fog-drenched region is absolutely not to be missed. This bottling, crafted by Zotovich Vineyards & Winery using Syrah a pinch of co-fermented Viognier sourced from their estate vineyard, marvelously highlights Syrah's herbal and highly savory side in a way that few Californian examples achieve. While there is absolutely no shortage of bright and energetic fruit here it is the untamed natural character of this wine that steals the show, and its layered and multidimensional profile is a pleasure to unravel. An impressive Syrah that positively nails the true character of this noble grape.