Santa Barbara

• Santa Lucia Highlands
• Santa Rita Hills
• Santa Ynez Valley

Purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats, some black pepper and hints of violets.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  Lush and almost seamless.  Black raspberries layered with spice and slight roasted meats.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This would work great with heartier foods or spicy ones too.  Drinking quite well though not yet at peak.  It might have some more upside as it continues to develop.  A real crowd pleaser but if drinking soon, give it some air.  Probably will peak in five years and be good for a decade or more after that.  

This is the basic Jaffurs Syrah.  It is one of the great values in warmer climate Syrah from California.  It typically retails for around $30.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats, slight violets and black pepper.  On the palate, there is a nice energy.  Bright black raspberry fruit.  Underlying roasted meats and earthiness.  Great texture.  This drinks great on release and continues to improve for a decade.  Goes well with medium or heartier foods and especially Indian foods.  If you are not on this wineries mailing list, you should be

This is a Rhone blend.  Ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, the cherries continue thru.  Its a bit clipped on the mid-palate and finish.  This is nice easy drinking.  A bit hot but not too out of bonds.  It should probably be drunk in the next few years.  

WARNING - Biased review.  This is our most difficult child.  Huge bottle variation on this one and it has to be related to storage at all points in the delivery line.  Despite having had the wine tested for Brettanomyces (yeast) it is a problem in some bottles for some drinkers.  And that is the problem with Brett and why we tested.  All wine has it to some extent, and if the wine gets warm it blooms (it is a yeast).  In this bottling it is sporadic and its been difficult to ascertain why.  Of course, some people like that barnyard quality, so inevitably, they are the ones with the cleanest

WARNING - Biased review.  2011 was a difficult vintage.  The fruit was bursting open on the sorting line.  It never got as ripe as we wanted.  We ended up putting in a bit of Petite Sirah from Lodi to get the final wine where we wanted it to be.  This was the only vintage with PS in it.  In the end, we really liked the wine and were proud of the final product.  It is an outlier in many respects from our other wines though.  This wine has drunk well from the start whereas most of our wines have needed time.  Now at age 7, I think it is mid-peak.  It won't get any better and should be at this

WARNING - Biased Review.  this wine continues to drink well now that it has finally re-awoken from its slumber.  Purple in color.  The nose is very nice with black olives, black raspberries, roasted meats and slight floral notes.  Except for the bright fruit, it shows very northern Rhone-like.  On the palate, this is deep with layers that unwind in the glass.  Earthy notes along with black raspberry fruit.  Good acidity.  Works with heartier foods.  This is closing in on peak but should have a decade left so no hurry.  A bit of air before serving is a good idea but this no longer needs a lo

Light golden in color.  The nose is nice with lemon cream and some minerals.  A bit buttery and slightly oaky.  On the palate, this is nice acidity.  Lemon with cream.  Decent balance.  Works well with food.  Slight depth and complexity; probably won't get better.  Good drinking right now.  A nice compromise for those who like buttery/oaky and those who don't.  

This is a special blend made from the best barrels of Jaffur's Thompson, Verna's and Bien Nacido Vineyards.  Deep purple in color.  The nose is very nice.  Black raspberries, grilled meat with a bit of burnt crust, and white pepper.  On the palate, this is seriously ripe.  It will not be for everyone.  Not so much powerful (although it is) bit ripe/sweet.  It took some time to get used to and then it was wonderful.  Sweet and jammy black raspberry fruit.  There is some depth here.  Still drinking quite young.  Nice finish.  This makes a great drink on the back deck but may prove to be a mor

This is starting to come into its own but still is young and really needs more time.  Pop and pour, this should have been decanted.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, an underlying char with some peppery notes.  On the palate, this is concentrated but has a lot of black raspberry fruit.  Dense.  Medium tannins.  Worked well with spicy Chile Relenos.  It could use a few more years of cellaring and there is some slight upside for that.  

Jaffurs makes a lot of wine, this is their basic Syrah and it is one of my favorite value wines from California.  77% Syrah, 9% Grenache, 9% Petite Sirah and the Mourvèdre.  This is warm climate Syrah that will drink early and cellar well.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, grilled meats, slight black pepper and a bit of roasted herbs.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  It is delicious and always a crowd pleaser.  Deep with complexity that opens in the glass but will emerge with more cellaring.  Great on its own or with hearty of fatty foods.  Definite upside potentia