2014 Ojai Vineyard Syrah John Sebastiano Vineyard 750 ml

Syrah is a noble variety, brimming with a mosaic of blackberry, cracked pepper, game, violets, thyme, rosemary, olives, and campfire. To the great distress of sommeliers, this incredible variety has been overshadowed in the United States by Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and various red blends. But global wine enthusiasts and producers revere Syrah for producing some of the most age-worthy and complex wines in the world—like the powerhouse life-changing bottles of Hermitage in the Northern Rhône. Perhaps the best example of a New World Syrah is this one from Ojai, a pioneer in the U.S of the variety. Seductive, bursting through a bright ruby/purple color with freshness and a deep, brooding black fruit profile, exotic spices, chewy tannins and savory dried herbs. With four years in the bottle, this is just hitting its stride—exuberant and glorious today, with years of enjoyment still to come. 

Adam Tolmach is the mild-mannered, curly-haired genius behind Ojai Vineyards. His winery, nestled in the hills of Santa Barbara County, has acquired cult status thanks to its exclusivity and rigorous, small-batch approach. 

Tolmach follows the beat of his own drum—he isn’t the type to be swayed by flattery or applause. In recent years, he declared something that many were thinking but few were saying: The industry had gotten carried away with the overripe, high-alcohol fruit bombs that came too easily to California growers, even if they did get the points and therefore the margins. He wanted to prove that the sun-drenched California climate could be combined with the sophistication of Burgundy and Rhône Valley winemaking traditions to produce more savory, delicately aromatic, and low-alcohol Pinot Noirs and Syrahs.  

Showing European finesse, this Syrah has little in common with the typically sweet, fruity, boozy California Syrahs. That’s due in large part to Tolmach’s distinctive viticultural practices—frequently picking earlier than his neighbors to avoid over-ripeness—and his careful selection of the incredible John Sebastiano Vineyard. 
 
Perched at the far eastern edge of the windy, mist-sprayed Sta. Rita Hills appellation, the John Sebastiano Vineyard was planted in 2007 and has yielded some of the most dazzling expressions of Pinot Noir and Syrah on the Central Coast. Outside of the world-famous crus of France, there are few places on Earth capable of coaxing the grapes into such powerful, elegant packages. Why? It’s all about the Pacific. Blowing directly across the vineyard’s steep slopes, the cooling ocean winds preserve the vibrancy and freshness of the small, tightly clustered berries of unbelievable dark-fruit intensity. Pair this with grilled tuna with olives, roasted lamb, babaganoush, and charred salmon.