Like the greatest ideas, Stolpman Vineyards seemed crazy at first.

But Tom Stolpman was ready to roll the dice. He planted Syrah in the limestone-strewn hillsides of Santa Barbara’s Ballard Canyon, and in doing so, placed a wild bet on what many now deem to be the most precious site for the variety on California’s coast. Then, the Stolpman team doubled down, replanting at triple their standard density: 3,000 vines per acre.

The idea came straight from the Northern Rhône slopes of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, where the densely packed vineyards pit vine against vine in a contest of survival. The high-density clusters would produce tiny berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio, yielding Syrah with greater richness and phenolic complexity.

Sitting in the Santa Ynez Valley, Stolpman’s Ballard Canyon vineyards are far enough inland that hot, dry afternoons ensure the type of weight and concentration you’ll find in Napa reds. Simultaneously, the east-west valley acts as a wind tunnel for cool Pacific winds that blast the vines, imparting vibrancy and aromatic intensity to the finished wines.

The Stolpmans, first Tom and now his son Pete, built their brand on Syrah like this. This 2023 comes from the winery’s most successful vintage ever—they earned a staggering eight scores of 97 points or more—combining Ballard Canyon grapes with those from the surrounding areas, balancing Stolpman’s structured estate Syrah with fruit-driven opulence from warmer sites. Broad and expansive, with fresh cherry, wild herb, black pepper, and violet notes, the wine lives up to the Stolpman legacy, delivering dizzying complexity and outstanding quality.

This is an outright steal from an icon of Santa Barbara. There’s no better introduction (or re-introduction) to California Syrah than a bottle with “Stolpman” on the label.

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