In 2000, I saw a posting in Central Coast Wine Services (CCWS) for Santa Barbara County Syrah from the Larner Vineyard for sale. It was like a posting in a guitar center, ‘Drummer Needed.’ I was passionate about wine but had never made it myself - nonetheless, I tore off a phone number and took a chance. So did they. That action embraced the entrepreneurial spirit of taking a leap of faith and embarking on an adventure.  Today, I am even more excited about the quality of the fruit coming from the Central Coast and the opportunity to craft beautiful wines to share with you. 

An act of bravery back then resulted in a decades-long relationship with the Larner Vineyard, now a grand cru site for Syrah in Santa Barbara County. It is one of multiple Santa Barbara vineyards contributing to our newest Syrah, named Brave Fortune – a twist on the classic adage, “Fortune favors the brave". 

Vinification: 

10% whole cluster fermented in concrete tanks and small, open-top bins, spending between 20-40 days on skins, with a combination of pump-overs and punch-downs during cold soak and fermentation. 100% Syrah. Components were aged 16 months in 265-liter French oak barriques, 85% new. 

Tasting Notes:

Blackberry, plum, candied lavender, sea salt caramel, black licorice, mocha, cigar wrapper, smoked pepper, sweet tar, singed rosemary. The palate is youthful, coiled, anticipatory; fine-grain, polished tannins, anxiously awaiting air. Open, pour a skosh, enjoy, and watch the evolution over days. 

Scores

95+ Points Vinous
95 Points, Robert Parker - The 2021 Syrah Brave Fortune is a beautiful Syrah with the complexity and structure for extended cellaring. It has deep aromas of cassis, mint chocolate, white pepper, violet and salami and gains in expression as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with fruit! It has Goldilocks ripeness, rounded tannins, focused acidity and a very long finish with latent, savory accents.